Abuja: The National Defence College (NDC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have initiated a Senior Mission Leadership Course to enhance leadership skills for peace support operations across West Africa. At the opening ceremony in Abuja, Rear Adm. Abdullahi Ahmed, Commandant of the college, highlighted the course’s focus on preparing senior leaders to tackle complex regional security challenges.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Ahmed, represented by Maj.-Gen. Kelvin Ukandu, Deputy Commandant/Director of Studies, emphasized the persistent threats to peace and stability in West Africa, including terrorism, insurgency, transnational organized crimes, piracy, and unconstitutional changes of government. He noted that strong senior mission leadership is critical to the success of peace missions in the region.
Ahmed elaborated on the resurgence of conflicts in West Africa, citing terrorism, insurgency, transnational organized crime, piracy, and unconstitutional changes of government as key challenges. These issues necessitate ongoing Peace Support Operations to address political instability and humanitarian crises.
He commended the ECOWAS Commission for collaborating with the NDC to organize the Senior Mission Leadership Course, which plays a vital role in planning, coordinating, and executing Peace Support Operations. Ahmed also reaffirmed the NDC’s commitment, as an ECOWAS Strategic Training Centre of Excellence, to supporting the commission through training, research, and strategic engagement.
Amb. Abdul-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, represented by Dr. Sani Adamu, stressed the importance of collective and coordinated responses to the security challenges facing West Africa. He highlighted the operationalization of the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Force and the activation of the ECOWAS Standby Force as crucial steps in bolstering regional security.
Musah explained that the Senior Mission Leadership Course aims to fill capacity gaps in mission leadership and management, enhancing intelligence sharing, joint operations, and the collective ability of member states to respond effectively to emerging threats. The training is designed to prepare prospective senior mission leaders for complex, multidimensional peace support environments.