The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will commemorate its 50th anniversary with a Human Capital Development Youth Conference in Accra, Ghana, from April 29 to 30, 2025.
The event, hosted at Labadi Beach Hotel, aims to foster innovation, leadership, and youth-driven initiatives across the region, aligning with the bloc’s broader themes of unity, peace, and progress.
Founded in 1975, ECOWAS has played a pivotal role in promoting economic integration and political stability among its 15 member states. The conference marks a strategic shift toward empowering young populations, who constitute over 60% of West Africa’s demographic. Attendees will explore solutions to unemployment, educational gaps, and technological disparities, with an emphasis on sustainable development and regional collaboration.
Ghana’s selection as host underscores its historical ties to ECOWAS, having championed numerous peacekeeping and mediation efforts. The event is expected to draw delegates from civil society, private sector leaders, and youth advocates, alongside representatives from ECOWAS institutions.
Organizers highlight the conference as a platform to amplify youth voices in policymaking, reflecting the bloc’s renewed focus on inclusivity. “Investing in youth is investing in West Africa’s future,” stated an ECOWAS spokesperson. “This gathering will catalyze actionable strategies to harness their potential.”
ECOWAS’s golden anniversary arrives amid shifting regional dynamics, including security challenges, economic reforms, and calls for greater democratic governance. The youth conference signals a recognition that lasting progress hinges on engaging younger generations, who increasingly drive social and technological change. While the bloc has achieved milestones like the ECOWAS passport and tariff-free trade zones, critics argue implementation gaps persist. By centering youth in its jubilee celebrations, ECOWAS seeks to bridge these divides, positioning the next generation as architects of a resilient, integrated West Africa. The Accra conference may well set the tone for the bloc’s priorities in its sixth decade.
