On Saturday, April 5, 2025, the President of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP), Mr. Nathaniel Msen Awuapila, fspsp, paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency Amb. Kalilou Traore, Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria and ECOWAS, at his official residence in Asokoro, Abuja.
The high-level meeting focused on current peace and security challenges across the African continent, with a particular emphasis on the ECOWAS sub-region. Both leaders reflected on the shifting dynamics of conflict and governance and explored strategies to consolidate ongoing peacebuilding efforts in the region.
Mr. Awuapila commended the Ambassador’s profound understanding of Africa’s peace and security landscape, particularly his insightful analysis of missed opportunities for strengthening democracy and conflict resolution in the sub-region. He introduced the Ambassador to SPSP’s evolving thought-leadership platforms, notably the “SPSP Roundtable Series” — launched in 2023 as a space for robust policy dialogue on key African issues. He noted that recent roundtable discussions have tackled pressing topics such as the resurgence of coups d’état in the Sahel, the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States, and the future of democracy in Africa.
The discussion also delved into the role of multi-sectoral partnerships involving practitioners, policymakers, and academics. Both leaders emphasized the importance of working closely with universities and research institutions to integrate evidence-based strategies into peacebuilding frameworks. Additionally, they stressed the value of recognizing and celebrating outstanding African leaders who demonstrate a strong commitment to peace and democratic governance.
Highlighting Côte d’Ivoire’s relative stability, Mr. Awuapila cited the 2024 ACLED Conflict Index, which assessed the global impact of armed conflicts from 2020 to 2024. Notably, Côte d’Ivoire was absent from the list of African countries experiencing “extreme,” “high,” or “turbulent” levels of conflict—an encouraging sign of resilience in a region beset by volatility. Mr. Awuapila credited this achievement to the leadership of President Alassane Dramane Ouattara, urging that Côte d’Ivoire's success be further studied and leveraged as a model for other African nations.
A guest present at the meeting — a fellow diplomat and associate of Ambassador Traore — proposed the idea of an official SPSP visit to Côte d’Ivoire to explore avenues for deeper collaboration and joint learning.
Both Mr. Awuapila and H.E. Ambassador Traore reaffirmed their shared commitment to sustaining dialogue and partnerships that strengthen peace, stability, and democratic values across Africa.
