By Alusine Fullah

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation, Musa Timothy Kabba has on 30 October, 2023 called on Civil Society Organizations to champion African Union (AU) peace and security issues. He made this statement at the opening session of the Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) Training of Trainers programme held at the Sierra Palms Hotel Aberdeen, Freetown. He emphasized the pivotal role of CSOs as ambassadors for the African Union Peace and Security Architecture. The programme is aimed at empowering CSOs to contribute effectively to peace and security initiatives in Africa.

The training programme, which spans three days, it is organized by ECOSOCC and focuses on information gathering, conflict analysis, and early warning response. Minister Kabba underscored the importance of this event as it deepens CSOs’ understanding of the political context and equips them with the skills to generate evidence that can inform political decisions through conflict analysis. He emphasized that this knowledge will intensify the collaborative efforts of both the government and CSOs in safeguarding democracy from the perils of tyranny.

The Minister expressed gratitude to ECOSOCC’s leadership for selecting Sierra Leone as the host for this Training of Trainers program under the EU-APSA IV Programme. He highlighted the need for Africa to recognize the common challenges it faces and the imperative of finding collective solutions.

Musa Timothy Kabba further emphasized the significance of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) as the cornerstone of the continent’s collective efforts to achieve peace, security, and stability. Within APSA, the Continent Early Warning System (CEWS) plays a pivotal role in promptly identifying potential conflict triggers and responding swiftly to mitigate conflicts across Africa. The ECOSOCC training is intended to empower CSOs, enhancing their capacity in information gathering, conflict analysis, and early warning/response.

Minister Kabba encouraged participants to view the training as an opportunity to strengthen the combined efforts of government and CSOs in ensuring peace, security, and stability across the African continent. He concluded by stating, “Together, we can build a better future for our nations, our people, and our beloved continent.”

During the three-day ECOSOCC Training of Trainers, CSOs will receive comprehensive instruction on the continent’s early warning systems. The training will cover various components, operations, and functions of these systems, emphasizing their critical role within the APSA framework. Participants will also be equipped with knowledge about data collection methods and sources, as well as the complex analytical processes that transform this data into practical recommendations.