From 20–24 October. the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), provided technical support to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in delivering a training course on the Protection of Civilians (PoC) in Armed Conflict held Abuja, Nigeria
The course was developed in response to the increasing number of ECOWAS peace support operations (PSOs) with PoC mandates and the need to address identified capacity gaps among military, police, and civilian personnel preparing for deployment. Its objective was to equip ECOWAS PSO components, including the ECOWAS Standby Force, with the knowledge and practical tools required to effectively implement PoC mandates in conflict situations across the region.
Participants examined PoC threats in conflict-affected countries and explored strategies to strengthen coordination and operational responses to protect civilians. A total of 27 senior military, police, and civilian personnel from across the ECOWAS region attended the training.
Looking ahead, additional PoC courses are planned for ECOWAS PSOs deployed in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, and ECOWAS is expected to develop a comprehensive PoC policy to guide future mission planning and implementation.
