Sunday 12 January 2014

CLEEN Foundation organises Regional Conference on Conflicts and Security Governance in West Africa



The widely held perception that security personnel aggravate conflicts while trying to quell armed violence is raising very serious concerns to stakeholders in the international community. In view of this, CLEEN Foundation, in conjunction with the Altus Global Alliance, is bringing together security and governance experts in West Africa to exchange opinions on a study carried out by Altus on Conflicts and Security Governance in West Africa. The occasion will be a three-day high profile Regional Conference on Security and Governance in West Africa, which will hold at the New Chelsea Hotel in the Central Business District, Abuja from January 14 to16, 2014.

The Executive Director of CLEEN Foundation, Oluwakemi Okenyodo, has revealed that the research carried out by renowned experts is likely to pave the way for a security blueprint for security interventions in West African and other parts of the continent. “Over the years the perception is that security personnel may have aggravated conflicts in the some areas,” she says, “but the study also reveals that security personnel y have developed good practices for security engagements in the region. As a result, a good practice guide for security interventions in conflict zones will be distilled from this research based on the findings of the Study and opinions elicited from stakeholders in the conference.”

Participants for the conference will be drawn from West African countries like Liberia, Ghana, Niger Republic, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso. Dignitaries from the international community including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), the African Security Sector Network (ASSN), and the Ford Foundation, would also be in attendance.

The National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) is expected to deliver the keynote speech. The welcome address will be delivered by the Chairperson of Altus Global Alliance, Dr Pramod Kumar, while the Opening Remarks will be taken by the Regional Representative of Ford Foundation, Mr Innocent Chukwuma. Several other papers would be delivered by other participants in the conference.


Signed
Oluwakemi Okenyodo
Executive Director
CLEEN Foundation

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