…Unveils five-year strategic plan
BY SAM OTUONYE
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) has decried the increasing rate of democratic decline, violence, poverty and insecurity across the West African region, vowing to deploy strategic initiatives to stop the trend.
The Director of the organization, Dr Dauda Garuba, highlighted the position on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Abuja during the launch of her five-year strategic plan – 2026-2030, an event that attracted participants from across the sub-region, including Ghana, Sierra Leone, etc.
“Over the last 29 years of its existence, CDD-West Africa has grown in leaps and bounds, promoting democratic accountability, facilitating conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and supporting communities in their daily engagement with issues of poverty and inequality in the most ambitious collaborative manner with regional and continental bodies such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU).
“These efforts directly benefit stakeholders by strengthening democratic processes, enhancing regional stability, and fostering inclusive development, aligning with their strategic interests and priorities.”
He noted with regret that democratic progress has been threatened by military coups, changes to constitutions by civilian leaders, less trust in elections, poor governance linked to corruption, and rise of military-led populism.
“Recently, CDD-West Africa has seen democratic progress threatened by military coups, changes to constitutions by civilian leaders (as in Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Republic, and Togo), less trust in elections, poor governance linked to corruption, and the rise of military-led populism in countries like Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea-Bissau.
“For peace and security, even ECOWAS’s successes now face new types of instability. These include terrorism, conflicts over land and resources, crime, and kidnappings, all creating complicated emergencies,” Garuba stated.
The group stressed that it would not watch idly while West African democratic landscape erodes and development stalled but to utilize all opportunities within its reach to address the situation, including the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan.
“Rather than stand by as West Africa faces these challenges, CDD-West Africa will use its 2026-2030 Strategic Plan to take action. We aim to defend democracy, stop violence, and support development for all people. The new plan focuses on stopping democratic decline, preventing conflict, rebuilding peace, and reducing inequality.
“Stakeholders may ask how these objectives will be achieved and what measurable outcomes to expect. We will work to strengthen democratic institutions, involve the public more, and improve living conditions.”
The Chairman of the occasion and first Director of CDD-West Africa, Dr Kayode Fayemi, recalled that the formative circumstances of the organization, noting that CDD came into existence in a period of transition when many countries in the sub-region were getting into crises and conflicts – Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, etc., regretting that thirty years after the region is still backsliding into democratic deficiency.
“30 years after we were getting out of the era of coup d’etat and authoritarianism we seem to be backsliding and returning to that democratic deficiency rising from not just the sub-region but the Continent.”
He praised the CCD-West Africa for its culture of strategic planning, noting that the first one was in 1997-2002, 2003-2008, etc.
“This speaks to the values of the organization – that we took planning very seriously right from get go. We are very intentional about what we set out to achieve and that vision for us at the time was for a democratic peaceful, prosperous and stable sub-region.”
Chairman, international Governing Council, CDD-West Africa, Comrade John Odah, also lamented the growing fragile democratic milieu and trust deficiency, noting that deepening and disinformation were weakening social cohesion.
“West Africa today stands at a critical juncture. While democratic gains persists in parts of the region, they remain fragile. Authoritarian tendencies, shrinking civil space, electoral vulnerabilities, and protracted insecurity, particularly in the Sahel, continue to test the resilience of democratic institutions. At the same time, deepening inequality and the rapid spread of disinformation are eroding public trust and weakening social cohesion.”
Panel discussion on: ‘Democracy Failing or The People Failing? Reflections on Democracy and Development in West Africa’, moderated by Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, had the participants put the failure on the people – the leaders and the led, emphasising the need for inclusive and accountable leadership, deployment of technology, empowerment of women and youths for a productive sub-region.
The 35-page Five-Year Strategic Plan – 2026-2030 document, hinged on its financial projection – income and expenditure, thematic programmes and implementable milestones, collaborations and partnerships, etc.
CDD-West African is a non-governmental organisation established in 1997 to facilitate research, capacity building, advocacy, and convening on questions of democracy, peace and security, and people-centred development.
