Since late 2015, FFP has been providing technical support and expertise to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to enhance the capacities of the regional organization to anticipate, mitigate and respond to conflict.

Over the past three years, we have partnered with the ECOWAS Early Warning Directorate (EWD) to conduct field-based assessments on conflict risks, vulnerabilities and resiliencies in each of the 15 ECOWAS member states. FFP has also led trainings on data collection and analysis frameworks for ECOWAS field monitors and the EWD, and provides support to ECOWAS more broadly on how to incorporate early warning signals into their planning and project documents.

The REWARD program is part of a broader U.S. Government initiative, called the Early Warning and Response Partnership (EWARP), that is intended to bolster the capacity of the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Network (ECOWARN) to monitor, gather, analyze and disseminate information on risks and vulnerabilities to its member states. REWARD addresses critical gaps in the conflict early warning and response systems of the sub-region by employing a two-tiered approach:

(1) Working with the ECOWAS Commission for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (CPAPS) to enhance conflict early warning and response systems to reduce the risk of violence in the 15 ECOWAS member states; and

(2) Supporting national and local stakeholders in targeted countries to mitigate electoral violence triggers before they escalate into violence.

As part of the REWARD program, FFP is working with the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding on the provision of early warning expertise in the development of conflict assessment and prevention frameworks. The lead implementer for the REWARD Program is Creative Associates International.

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