ECOWAS and UN Partners Enhance Arms Control Cooperation

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), signed an Addendum to the 2009 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the ECOWAS Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. This signing represents a significant advancement in cooperation on disarmament, arms control, non-proliferation, and armed conflict prevention within the ECOWAS region.

The Addendum was established following the ECOWAS–UNODA Strategic Dialogue, which convened senior officials and technical experts to discuss the evolving regional security environment and explore opportunities for enhanced cooperation. The new framework aims to address contemporary disarmament challenges and reaffirms the commitment of ECOWAS and UNODA/UNREC to practical cooperation through technical assistance, capacity-building, policy development, and joint programming, ultimately striving for a safer and more peaceful ECOWAS region.