The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its Centre for Youth and Sports Development (CDJS), has convened a high-level meeting of experts in Dakar from July 27 to 31, followed by a ministerial session of government officials responsible for youth and sports across Member States, aimed at consolidating and adopting key regional strategic frameworks.
The meetings are part of ECOWAS’ ongoing efforts to strengthen human capital development and regional integration through coordinated policies in the fields of youth empowerment, sports development, and volunteerism.
The sessions bring together representatives from the twelve ECOWAS Member States, regional institutions, technical and financial partners, as well as experts from the youth, sports, and volunteer sectors. Participants are engaged in the review, validation, and finalisation of three major strategic documents: the ECOWAS Youth Policy and its 2026–2035 Strategic Action Plan, the ECOWAS Sports Policy and its 2026–2035 Strategic Action Plan, and the Strategic Policy Document for the ECOWAS Volunteer Programme alongside its 2026–2035 Action Plan.
According to ECOWAS, these frameworks are designed to provide a coordinated regional response to challenges affecting young people, promote sports as a tool for development and social cohesion, and strengthen structured volunteerism across West Africa.
The expert-level meeting is expected to lay the technical groundwork for the ministerial deliberations, where final validation and adoption of the policy instruments will take place.
ECOWAS said the outcomes of the Dakar meetings will mark a significant step toward the implementation of harmonised regional strategies that enhance opportunities for youth, promote excellence in sports, and institutionalise volunteerism as a driver of development across the subregion.