KAIPTC hosts ECOWAS Training Centres of Excellence
The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra has hosted the 2025 biennial meeting of Commandants of the ECOWAS Training Centres of Excellence (TCEs), bringing together regional leaders and experts to deepen cooperation in addressing West Africa’s complex peace and security challenges.
The three-day meeting, which opened on Monday, September 15, convened senior military officials, ECOWAS representatives, and international partners to reflect on shared progress and chart practical pathways for strengthening collective security frameworks.
Welcoming participants, Brigadier General Zibrim Bawah Ayorrogo, Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, described the gathering as a “crucial platform” for reaffirming the shared vision of a peaceful West Africa.
Representing the KAIPTC Commandant, he stressed the need for innovation and responsiveness in capacity building, research, and policy engagement.
“This gathering is not just about strengthening institutional ties but also about reaffirming our shared vision, reflecting on our progress, and exchanging lessons that can guide our future cooperation,” Brig Gen Ayorrogo said.
He cautioned that violent extremism, organised crime, climate-related insecurity, and governance transitions continue to test the region’s resilience, underscoring the urgency of closer collaboration.
Delivering goodwill remarks on behalf of ECOWAS Commission President Dr Omar Alieu Touray, the Resident Representative of ECOWAS in Ghana, Mr Mohammed Lawan Gana, commended Ghana for its hospitality and urged participants to strengthen collaboration between the Commission and the TCEs.
He highlighted the worsening Sahel crisis spilling into coastal states and called for renewed political will to address root causes of instability.
“The TCEs remain vital partners in building the capacity of the ECOWAS Standby Force, which is central to the fight against terrorism,” Ambassador Gana said.
He reminded participants of commitments reaffirmed at the 2024 Abuja meeting and the 50th anniversary summit in Lagos, stressing that ECOWAS was transitioning “from being a community of states to a community focused on the prosperity of its people” under Vision 2050.
Also addressing the forum, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Mr Abdel-Fatau Musah, underscored the need to align training and research with emerging threats.
He revealed that a study on the impact of demography on peace and security has been concluded and will be published as part of ECOWAS’s anniversary activities, while another on misinformation and disinformation will soon begin.
Mr Musah further disclosed that several specialised training courses are lined up before the end of the year to address capacity gaps within the ECOWAS Standby Force.
He emphasised that the current security context, compelling member states to fund a regional counterterrorism force, makes it urgent for the TCEs to update curricula to prepare personnel for both military and non-military approaches to combating terrorism.
BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG
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