Civilians Are Not Targets: ICRC and ECOWAS Convene in Abuja to Codefy Human Rights Protocols for West African Peace Missions

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Nigeria, in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), started a three-day technical workshop in Abuja on Tuesday March 3, 2026, to draft and strengthen a dedicated Protection of Civilians (PoC) policy for ECOWAS peace support operations.

The initiative reflects a shared regional commitment to integrating International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and human rights principles into peacekeeping and conflict management frameworks across West Africa.

The workshop gathers experts, policymakers, military planners, and representatives from ECOWAS member states to develop practical recommendations that will shape the forthcoming policy. James Matthews, Deputy Head of Delegation at the ICRC in Nigeria, described the event as a critical platform for dialogue aimed at reinforcing regional mechanisms for civilian protection amid ongoing and emerging threats in conflict-affected areas.

“Civilians are not targets,” the ICRC stated via its Nigeria delegation’s X account on March 3. “Through expert guidance & policy design support, @ICRC_Nigeria is working with @ecowas_cedeao in the development of a comprehensive protection of civilians policy for its peace support operations grounded in #IHL & human rights.”

The policy under development is expected to provide actionable guidance across key operational areas, including:

• Planning and conduct of missions

• Rules of engagement

• Pre-deployment and in-mission training programmes

• Integration of civilian protection considerations into mission mandates and evaluations

This effort builds on the long-standing ICRC-ECOWAS collaboration, formalized through successive Memoranda of Understanding (most recently updated in 2023) and supported by the extended ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on IHL, which remains in force through December 31, 2026. Annual review meetings between the organizations have consistently identified the need to translate IHL commitments into practical tools for peace operations, particularly as West Africa continues to confront complex security challenges, including insurgencies, communal violence, and cross-border threats in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.

Recent ICRC reporting, including its Humanitarian Outlook 2026, has highlighted the escalating humanitarian toll of armed conflicts globally and regionally, with civilians disproportionately affected through displacement, restricted access to essential services, and violations of fundamental protections. In West Africa, ECOWAS peace support missions – from historical interventions in Liberia and Sierra Leone to more recent stabilisation efforts – have increasingly incorporated civilian protection mandates, yet gaps in standardised policy, training, and implementation have persisted.

The Abuja workshop reflects ECOWAS’s proactive approach to addressing these shortcomings. Participants are reviewing lessons from prior operations, aligning the draft policy with existing regional instruments (such as Article 58 of the revised ECOWAS Treaty on humanitarian policy), and ensuring compatibility with broader international frameworks, including the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas.

The timing aligns with heightened regional emphasis on humanitarian norms, following related ICRC-ECOWAS engagements, including workshops on IHL compliance with the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice. As the final year of the current IHL Action Plan approaches, stakeholders aim to deliver a robust, implementable PoC policy that enhances mission effectiveness, reduces civilian harm, and strengthens accountability.

Upon completion, the draft recommendations are expected to feed into formal ECOWAS adoption processes, potentially marking a significant advancement in how the region addresses civilian safety in peace operations.

The ICRC and ECOWAS reiterated their joint commitment to upholding the rules of war and ensuring that protection of civilians remains a non-negotiable priority in all security responses across West Africa.