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ECOWAS BRINGS TOGETHER EXPERTS AND MINISTERS IN DAKAR WITH A VIEW TO ADOPTING REGIONAL POLICIES IN THE FIELDS OF SPORT, YOUTH AND VOLUNTEERING

The ECOWAS Centre for Youth and Sports Development (CDJS) is organising a meeting of experts in Dakar from 27 to 31 July, followed by a meeting of the ministers responsible for youth and sport from the Member States, dedicated to consolidating, validating and adopting the key regional strategic frameworks aimed at strengthening human capital development in West Africa. These high-level meetings will bring together representatives from the twelve ECOWAS Member States, regional institutions, technical and financial partners, as well as experts from the sport, youth and voluntary sectors. The proceedings 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 Volunteering Programme and its Action Plan for 2026–2035. These instruments aim to provide the region with harmonised frameworks in order to promote youth empowerment, strengthen the role of sport as a driver of peace, social cohesion and economic development, and consolidate volunteering as a tool for regional integration, citizenship and solidarity. At the end 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 Programme (ECOWAS Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Programme – EYWEP), implemented by the Centre for Youth and Sports Development with financial support from AUDA-NEPAD and the Spanish cooperation agency AECID. This regional programme aims to promote entrepreneurship, innovation, skills development and access for young people and women to sustainable economic opportunities. Through these initiatives, ECOWAS reaffirms its commitment to investing in human capital, promote inclusive public policies and strengthen cooperation between Member States, with a view to providing young people in West Africa with an environment conducive to their development, civic participation and contribution to the region’s sustainable development.