Abidjan, 27 May 2018. The National Coordination Centre for the Early Warning and Response mechanism of Cote d’Ivoire was inaugurated in Abidjan on 24 May 2018, by the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, in the company of the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Gen. Francis Awagbe Behanzin. The Centre’s premises were provided by the Ivorian government.

In addition to inaugurating the building, Mr Brou, in a symbolic gesture, handed over some equipment and a vehicle to the Centre’s Director.

According to the ECOWAS Commission President, the Centre is intended to be a Community instrument for solidarity, essential for the prevention, management and resolution of the conflicts besetting West Africa.

The Ivorian government will support the Centre in activity implementation, the attainment of its objectives and in efforts initiated at the regional level to counter insecurity and terrorist threats. This was made known at the occasion by Senior Minister and Minister of Defence, Hamed Bakayoko, representing the Prime Minister, who also thanked the United States of America for their financial support to the project.

Mr. Bakayoko officially launched the Centre’s activities in the presence of the Minister of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad, Ally Coulibaly, and the Chargé d’affaires ad interim of the United States Embassy in Cote d’Ivoire, Paul Yeskoo.

During the inauguration, the Centre was able to join in live video conference the Centres in Mali and Burkina Faso.

Shortly after the ceremony, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Ivorian Prime Minister, Amadou Gon Coulibaly and ECOWAS Commission President, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou.

The Centre is an outcome of the Strategic Framework for the establishment of national early warning and response mechanisms, adopted by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government at the 45^th ordinary session held in Accra, Ghana on 14th July 2014. It is funded by the United States of America while the head of the Ivorian government, Amadou Gon Coulibaly, provides supervision for the Cote d’Ivoire Centre.

The major objective of the national Coordination Centre for the early warning mechanism is to strengthen the ECOWAS strategy for information sharing among Member States, in order to prevent or minimise threats.

The Centre’s role is to warn the government of threats to human security, propose appropriate action, coordinate and ensure monitoring of the implementation of response to the warning, optimise information collection, quality and analysis through a participative approach involving all relevant stakeholders.