ECOWAS Enhances Early Warning Systems to Boost Human Security in The Gambia and Liberia.
By Raymond Enoch
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is making significant strides towards bolstering human security in The Gambia and Liberia through enhanced early warning response mechanisms.
The Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs organized hybrid sessions 25th and 26th and also 27th and 28th of March 2025 to assess and reinforce the operationalization of the ECOWAS Protection and Human Security Integrated Coordination Mechanisms (ECOPHISM) in both countries
These sessions, held for two days in each country, were attended by key officials from both nations’ National Centers for the Coordination of Response Mechanisms (NCCRM), as well as national stakeholders and the ECOWAS specialized staff.
Both meetings served as a follow-up to previous efforts aimed at addressing serious issues of child abuse, human trafficking, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), youth drug dependency, and the plight of persons with disabilities. Through the lens of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the sessions focused on strategies to combat these challenges, ensuring the protection of the most vulnerable populations in both countries.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs at ECOWAS, commended The Gambia and Liberia for their progress in setting up operational Early Warning Centers. “These centers have become models for the region,” she stated, underscoring the importance of further strengthening these mechanisms.
Ambassadors Miatta French and Josephine Nkrumah, representing the ECOWAS Resident Offices in The Gambia and Liberia, respectively, also addressed the sessions, urging continued commitment to the operational plans that have been put in place to address human security concerns. They emphasized the importance of collaboration at all levels of government, civil society, and the private sector.
The meetings also explored the utilization of a $25,000 ECOWAS grant provided to each country. Both nations reported progress in purchasing vital equipment, hiring consultants to compile protection and human security risk reports, and preparing for national validation meetings of these findings.
“These meetings were crucial in strengthening our regional response to the protection challenges we face,” said Madam Binta Singhateh, Director of NCCRM in The Gambia, and Mr. Arthur Bestman, Director of NCCRM in Liberia, in separate remarks. They noted that the discussions had reinforced national and regional strategies, with an emphasis on practical application of human security concepts and the importance of using resources efficiently to detect and address emerging threats swiftly.
As the sessions concluded, participants reiterated their commitment to improving human security and protection efforts in both countries, ensuring that the most vulnerable members of society are safeguarded from the ongoing risks they face.
The strengthened mechanisms and shared experiences from these meetings will serve as vital steps toward a more secure and protected future for The Gambia and Liberia, in alignment with ECOWAS’ broader regional objectives.
