ECOWAS BRINGS TOGETHER EXPERTS AND MINISTERS IN DAKAR TO ADOPT REGIONAL POLICIES IN THE AREAS OF SPORTS, YOUTH, AND VOLUNTEERISM
The ECOWAS Center for Youth and Sports Development (CDJS) is organizing a meeting of experts in Dakar from July 27 to 31, followed by a meeting of the ministers responsible for youth and sports from the member states, dedicated to consolidating, validating, and adopting the main regional strategic frameworks aimed at strengthening human capital development in West Africa.
These high-level meetings bring together representatives from the twelve ECOWAS Member States, regional institutions, technical and financial partners, as well as experts from the sports, youth, and volunteer sectors.
The discussions focus on (i) the analysis and validation of three key strategic documents: the ECOWAS Youth Policy and its Strategic Action Plan for 2026–2035, (II) the ECOWAS Sports Policy and its Strategic Action Plan for 2026–2035, and (III) the Strategic Policy Document for the ECOWAS Volunteer Program and its Action Plan for 2026–2035.
These instruments aim to provide the region with harmonized frameworks to promote youth empowerment, strengthen the role of sports as a driver of peace, social cohesion, and economic development, and consolidate volunteering as a tool for regional integration, citizenship, and solidarity.
At the conclusion of the expert meeting, the recommendations formulated will be submitted to the ministerial meeting for validation and adoption, prior to their implementation in the Member States.
On the sidelines of these proceedings, the ECOWAS Commission will officially launch the ECOWAS Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Program (ECOWAS Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Program—EYWEP), implemented by the Center for Youth and Sports Development with financial support from AUDA-NEPAD and the Spanish cooperation agency AECID. This regional program aims to promote entrepreneurship, innovation, skills development, and access to sustainable economic opportunities for youth and women.
Through these initiatives, ECOWAS reaffirms its commitment to investing in human capital, promote inclusive public policies, and strengthen cooperation among Member States, in order to provide young people in West Africa with an environment conducive to their development, civic participation, and contribution to the region’s sustainable development.
