ECCAS - Peace, Security, Stability and Governance

The Establishing Treaty of ECCAS does not mention peace, security, stability and governance in its institutional structure. However, ECCAS adopted the Protocol of Peace and Security in February 1999, to deal with the conflicts and political instability in the region. The Protocol gave way for the establishment of the Security Council in Central Africa (COPAX) with three key instruments, the Commission for Defense and Security, the Central African Early Warning System and the Central African Multinational Force. [1] The protocol establishing COPAX was formally ratified in January 2004 to include defense and security mechanisms aligned with the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture[2]. In parallel, member States of CEMAC formed a regional peace force, the Multinational Force in the Central African Republic in 2002, to promote peace and security in the conflict inflicted Central African Republic. However, in July 2008, CEMAC transferred its authority for the Multinational Force in the Central African Republic to ECCAS and is a part of COPAX. In addition, ECCAS adopted the Protocol Relating to the Strategy to Secure ECCAS’ Gulf of Guinea in October, 2009 as well as the Declaration of the Heads of State and Government on Maritime Safety and Security in 2013 to promote the regional maritime security in the Central African region[3].