Command Post Exercise for ECOWAS Standby Force in Accra

14 November 2011
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Economic Community of West African States (Abuja)
press release

Accra - Ghana — A Command Post Exercise (CPX) to evaluate aspects of the main component of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) opens at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Accra on 19th November 2011. The weeklong exercise, which is part of the ESF roadmap, will also evaluate the operational framework for the force, one of the pillars of the regional security architecture. The ESF comprises Stand-by Multi-purpose Modules (civilian and military) in their countries of origin ready for immediate deployment. The roadmap is centered on the development and validation of the ESF Task Force, composed mainly of military and police personnel, while the ESF Main Force is all encompassing, involving three components (civilian, military and police) to ensure comprehensive planning and conduct of Peace Support Operations.

The multidimensional participation of the three components is to enable the force to meet the diverse challenges in mission areas. Under Article 58 of the revised ECOWAS Treaty, Member States "undertook to safeguard and consolidate relations conducive to the maintenance of Peace, Stability and Security within the region." Consequently, they pledged to co-operate with the Community in establishing and strengthening appropriate mechanisms for the timely prevention and resolution of intra-State and inter-State conflicts, with particular attention to the need to "establish a regional peace and security observation system and peace-keeping forces where appropriate." The guiding principles of the ESF Mechanism are to prevent, manage and resolve internal and inter-State conflicts, implement the relevant provisions and where appropriate constitute and deploy a civilian and military force to maintain or restore peace within the sub-region, whenever the need arises.

The Mechanism relates to cases of aggression or conflict in any Member State or threat thereof, in case of conflict between two or several Member States or in case of internal conflict. The ESF specified missions relate to observation and monitoring, peacekeeping and restoration of peace, humanitarian intervention in support of humanitarian disaster, enforcement of sanctions, including embargo. Others are policing activities, including the control of fraud and organized crime, peace building, disarmament and demobilization, preventive deployment and any other operations mandated by the Mediation and Security Council.

Read the original article on Ecowas.

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