On 12 November 2007, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) organized a conference on peace and security in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The Ouagadougou Declaration highlighted the need for regional cooperation in various sectors. In the energy sector, the declaration articulated the need to establish a specialized Centre to promote clean, efficient and affordable energy. The ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) was therefore established as a consequence.