ECOWAS sent a delegation to the eighth EU Community of Practice on Peace Mediation, held in Brussels on 20 and 21 October 2026, the bloc said.
The delegation was led by Dr. Babatunde Afolabi, Director of Political Affairs, and included Dr. Onyinye Onwuka, Head of the Mediation and Coordination of Regional Political Affairs Division.
The Community of Practice brings together mediation practitioners, regional and international organisations, civil society representatives and other peacebuilding actors to exchange experience and strengthen cooperation.
According to ECOWAS, this edition took place against a backdrop of increasingly complex conflicts, political instability and growing pressure on regional and international mediation efforts.
In a plenary session titled “Advancing Peace Mediation in an Unpredictable World,” Dr. Afolabi took part in discussions on the evolving challenges facing peace mediation, the role of regional organisations, and the importance of partnerships between institutional actors and civil society in preventing and resolving conflicts.
The discussions, ECOWAS said, provided an opportunity to reflect on mediation challenges confronting West Africa, including violent extremism and terrorism, political transitions following unconstitutional changes of government, interstate disputes, geopolitical competition and efforts to sustain dialogue and regional cooperation.
ECOWAS described its participation as an opportunity to share regional experience and deepen cooperation with European and other international partners, and said the engagement reaffirmed its commitment to working with international and regional institutions, civil society and other stakeholders to advance inclusive, coordinated and sustainable peace mediation in West Africa.
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