Stabilisation tools

To achieve the outcome/purpose of the Project, living conditions in the intervention countries are to be improved, social cohesion to be strengthened and good governance to be promoted. This is to contribute to the stability through sustainable development of selected ECOWAS member states.

Specifically, the Fund has four components:

Private sector promotion and employment creation This component may include the following measures, among others:

• Short-term employment creation through the Iabour-intensive construction (cash for work) and maintenance of basic economic and social infrastructure
• Medium and long-term employment creation through investments along selected value chains, especially in the agricultural sector
• Vocational training, life skills development and entrepreneurship training, especially for the Youth;
• Private sector promotion through 'matching grant' schemes, etc.

Basic service provision and strengthening of resilience. Within this component, the Project will finance basic service provision and the strengthening of resilience to external shocks. This may include the following measures, among others:

• Construction and/ or rehabilitation of basic social and economic infrastructure (education, health, water and sanitation, transport, energy, etc)
• Investments in infrastructure that enhances the preparedness for natura) disasters (resilient housing, dams, urban sewerage systems, etc.)

Promotion of social cohesion and good governance Among others, the measures financed within this component may include:

• Strengthening of local governance through the promotion of accountability, participatory community planning and civic engagement, etc.
• Strengthening of social cohesion through the promotion of social dialogue, local conflict resolution mechanisms, transitional justice schemes, psycho-social support to victims of violence, etc.

Strengthening of regional, national and local implementation capacities with a focus on strengthening the implementation capacities of the relevant stakeholders at all levels. This may include the following measures, among others:

• Capacity-building at the level of the ECOWAS Commission (e.g., trainings for Stabilization Fund-related staff)
• Capacity-building at the national level (e.g., National Advisory Committees, national implementing partners)
• Capacity-building at the local level (e.g., local government and administration, local NGOs)