Violent extremism is a serious threat to regional stability and citizen security in West Africa. Violent extremist organizations have capitalized on the region’s porous borders, weak local government institutions, the proliferation of weapons and new and entrenched grievances to thrive in the region and beyond.

Heavy-handed counter-terrorism responses have, in many cases, exacerbated the situation by alienating the at-risk communities and furthering grievances that stoke extremism.

The five-year Partnerships for Peace Program (P4P), which is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, works hand-in-hand with regional institutions, national governments and civil society in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania and Niger, to build a network of partners capable of more effectively countering violent extremism and supporting long-term peacebuilding.

The project is implemented by Creative Associates International, along with its partner Search for Common Ground.

At the regional level, for example, P4P supports the CVE and development efforts of the Permanent Secretariat of the G5 Sahel to assist its member states in developing effective and sustainable programs to improve security, reduce conflicts and counter violent extremism. P4P recently supported the Permanent Secretariat of the G5 Sahel in launching and validating a Regional Guiding Framework for the Development of National CVE Strategies for West African countries. P4P also supported the development of a G5 Sahel Regional CVE Lexicon.

At the national level, P4P assists governments in developing national strategies for countering violent extremism and policies aimed at addressing the root causes of the menace in highly vulnerable communities. This process was launched in late 2018 in Niger and Burkina Faso and will resume in Chad in 2019.

Working with civil society, the project is strengthening networks of West African advocacy and practitioner groups to improve coordination on CVE approaches among traditional and religious leaders, youth, and women’s groups.

Partnerships for Peace project contributes to the U.S. government’s goal of reducing vulnerability to violent extremism in West Africa.