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An ECOWAS delegation undertook a strategic benchmarking visit to the United Nations Global Service Centre in Brindisi this week, the UNGSC said in an announcement on its website. The three-day programme headed by Internal Services Commissioner Dr Habib Bappah examined integrated supply chain technology and sustainability practices that support UN operations globally while reviewing progress on the ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi Sierra Leone.
The United Nations Global Service Centre announced that the delegation explored how the centre delivers global support services through integrated supply chain management governance frameworks technology-enabled solutions and sustainability initiatives. Discussions also covered the ongoing development and operationalisation of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot which is being positioned as a regional logistics hub to support ECOWAS peace support operations. Through presentations site visits and exchanges with subject matter experts the visit fostered dialogue on practical approaches to strengthening organizational effectiveness and service delivery in complex operational environments.
The UNGSC statement indicated that the programme provided an opportunity for detailed exchanges on operational support mechanisms used across United Nations peace operations. Bappah led the group in sessions that highlighted parallels between UNGSC methods and ECOWAS requirements for its own logistics infrastructure. Such visits form part of broader cooperation between regional economic communities and United Nations entities.
The United Nations Global Service Centre which traces its origins to the United Nations Logistics Base established in 1994 now operates as a key hub for UN field missions worldwide according to the centre’s overview.[[1]](https://www.ungsc.org/news/sharing-best-practices-across-organizations) UNGSC figures show it employs about 900 personnel drawn from 63 countries and runs its bases on 100 percent renewable energy.[[2]](https://www.ungsc.org/) The centre provides logistics geospatial intelligence IT services and training to peacekeeping and special political missions.
The Economic Community of West African States represents a regional union of 15 member countries that has conducted multiple peace support operations across West Africa over the past three decades. The new depot in Sierra Leone forms a central element of ECOWAS strategy to improve rapid response capabilities for future missions. The benchmarking visit built on existing partnerships between ECOWAS and United Nations peacekeeping structures.
The UNGSC has marked more than 30 years of service as a strategic operational hub supporting peace security and humanitarian efforts according to its records.[[3]](https://www.ungsc.org/celebrating-30-years-service) Its facilities in Brindisi and Valencia handle integrated supply chains that enable missions in some of the world’s most challenging environments. The exchange with the ECOWAS delegation underscores continued efforts to share knowledge across international and regional organizations involved in stability operations.
