Raphael Oni
The ECOWAS Gender Development Center (EGDC) and Sweden’s Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) have committed to strengthening collaboration on the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda across ECOWAS institutions and member states.
From January 12 to 16, 2026, a delegation from EGDC, led by its Director, Ms. Sandra Oulaté Fattoh, undertook a working visit to FBA in Sweden. The team was received by FBA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Per Olsson Fridh, and Head of its Africa Unit, Mr. Tobias Petrelius, alongside other senior officials.
The visit aimed to align the mandates of both institutions, improve coordination, and integrate gender-sensitive approaches into regional peace and security efforts. Discussions highlighted opportunities to streamline processes and strengthen women’s leadership, including support for EGDC’s Legacy Project on women’s political participation and leadership, as well as the upcoming ECOWAS Pre-Summit on “Women in Governance, Peace, Security, and Regional Integration.” These initiatives form part of key themes marking ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
The delegation also met with Mr. Dario Jovic, Head of the West Africa Division at Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to explore further cooperation.
To formalize the partnership, both institutions announced that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is currently being drafted, setting the stage for deeper collaboration on advancing gender equality and women’s leadership in peace and security across West Africa.
