The Community Initiative for Sustainable Development (COMINSUD) on Wednesday July 30, 2026, organized a one-day Multi-Stakeholder Reflection Workshop at the Auditorium of the North West Regional Assembly.
Held under the theme “The Crisis in the North West Region 2016-2026: Looking Back and Forward”, the workshop focused on Curbing Violence and Re-enforcing Peace Building Initiatives in the region.
Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Governor of the North West Region, Adolphe Lele Lafrique, the Secretary General at the Governor’s Office, Saidouna Ali, commended COMINSUD and its partners for their grassroots approach to peacebuilding and local development." As a Non Governmental Organization, your efforts towards Peace Building and Initiatives in promoting local development is timely and commendable. The state encourages COMINSUD to keep on with the wonderful work you are doing within communities" Saidouna Ali said.
The event brought together key stakeholders including representatives of Regional Delegations, Councils, Civil Society Organizations, Faith-Based Groups, the Public Independent Conciliator, the Regional House of Chiefs, and the North West Regional Assembly.
Three Panels, One Goal: Peace
Participants engaged in three panel discussions:
1. Looking Back and assessing the impact of the crisis on Education, Families, Women and Girls, SMEs, Councils, and Local Development.
2. Current Context and Challenges posed by the crisis examining the current situation of youths, access to health and mental health, children and vulnerable persons, changing dynamics of the crisis, and maintaining law and order.
3. Looking Forward, focusing on curbing violence, transparency and accountability, community peacebuilding, youth empowerment, and healing and reconciliation.
The Key Concerns Highlighted during
The workshop centered on critical issues including women-headed homes with minimal resources, “Red Zones” otherwise known as no go areas, hindering school resumption, illicit drug use among youths, mental health challenges, and low local development growth within communities.
In line with COMINSUD’s mandate on social protection, education, health, and youth empowerment, participants made key recommendations. These include the creation of “Green Zones” also known as safe zones to enable the establishment of schools enhancing a safe back to schools and local initiatives to empower women and youths to address the crisis that began in October 2016.
On behalf of the Governor of the North West Region, the Secretary General at the office of the Governor of the North West Region, Saidouna Ali, declaring open the workshop organized by COMINSUD, acknowledged the ideals of the NGO and it's partners in their efforts towards Peace Building initiative and Local Development especially through the use of grassroot approach engaging.
The Board chair of COMINSUD Chambi Julie, feels satisfied with the turn out and believes in the face of adversity in the crisis, those most affected needs to also improvise ways to navigate through the challenges of the crisis. "We already know the effects and hardship that the crisis has brought about on the people like insecurity, school dropouts, separation of families and vulnerability of the women and girl child as well as a high fall in local developments which is very important we brought on board those necessary stake holders to discuss a possible way " Chambi Julie said.
The coordinator of COMINSUD Micheal Fon Nsoh, throwing light on some of the measures to curb the on going crisis is a call to separatist groups advocating for the use of arms and violence l, to have a rethink and try to implement Mon violent methods of presenting their grievances. " The killings is both ways, either the separatist fighters are being killed or the military or civilians." Fon Nsoh adding that " there was a situation of a young man that was killed in Bali, which later on a claimer was made that it was not intentional" Fon Nsoh added
COMINSUD reaffirmed its commitment to promoting peace, democratic governance, human rights, and sustainable development in the North West Region.
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