Today marks the commencement of the Regional Citizen’s Dialogue Programme (RCDP) in Abuja, aimed at preventing and addressing Unconstitutional Changes of Government (UCG) in West Africa.
Representatives from prominent organizations including the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the European Union (EU) are set to attend.
The event, taking place over two days at the Reiz Hotel, will gather participants from civil society groups across West Africa and beyond. Notable attendees include delegates from the AU African Peer-Review Mechanism (APRM), the West African Democracy Solidarity Group (WADEMOS), and the Portuguese Ambassador to Nigeria, Paulo Martins dos Santos.
Scheduled alongside the dialogue sessions is a courtesy visit by leaders of the RCDP initiative to the National Assembly. The primary focus of the programme is to finalize and adopt a comprehensive yearly implementation plan for the initial phase, spanning from February to September 2024.
The RCDP is a collaborative effort led by a consortium of civil society and research think tanks, with support from organizations such as the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Nigeria, the Regional Centre for Governance and Security Policy Initiative (RCGSPI) headquartered in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and the Dantiye Centre for Good Leadership and Journalism (DCLJ) in Kano.
The initiative comes in response to mounting concerns over the surge in military coups across West Africa, posing threats to democracy and political stability. The programme seeks to mobilize civil society contributions towards preventing, mitigating, and responding to incidences of UCG in the sub-region.
Dr. Jonathan Sandy, Chairperson of the RCGSPI and AU ECOSOCC Peace and Security Cluster, emphasized the programme’s aim to complement the main recommendations from the African Governance Report 2023, focusing on UCG in Africa, as published by the APRM.