ECOFEST Dakar 2025: ECOWAS, Partners Meet, Gears Up for the West Africa’s Regional Cultural Festival,30 Nov-7th Dec, 2025.
By Raymond Enoch
The countdown to ECOFEST Dakar 2025, West Africa’s premier cultural festival, has officially entered a critical planning phase, as the ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions, in partnership with the Government of Senegal, convene the second joint meeting of the Regional and National Organising Committees in Dakar from October 14–17, 2025.
This high-level gathering seeks to consolidate coordination efforts between regional and national stakeholders ahead of the much-anticipated event slated for November 30 to December 7, 2025. With the overarching goal of positioning culture as a lever for peace and transformation amid ongoing political shifts in the region, the festival carries the bold theme: “Political Change and Crises in West Africa: What Can Culture Do?”
At the heart of the joint meeting will be a comprehensive review of the festival’s planning progress, as well as the validation of key logistical, technical, and administrative frameworks. Organisers will also finalise programme content, enhance strategic communication, and mobilise sponsorship and partnerships, while putting in place robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
According to sources close to the ECOWAS Commission, the meeting will not only focus on operational readiness but also aims to foster synergy across the diverse spectrum of stakeholders — from government institutions and cultural entities to youth groups and private sector actors.
ECOFEST Dakar 2025 promises to be more than a cultural celebration. With Dakar set to pulse to the rhythm of the region’s artistic heartbeat, the festival will include live performances, artistic competitions, film screenings, exhibitions, youth dialogues, professional forums, and trade fairs. The opening ceremony will take place at the iconic Dakar Arena, while the Grand Théâtre Doudou Ndiaye Coumba Rose will host the grand finale — both venues emblematic of Senegal’s cultural prestige.
Beyond the glitz and performances, the festival aspires to serve as a unique platform for regional dialogue — bridging gaps between artists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and citizens, and reinforcing West Africa’s collective identity in a time of transformation.
As anticipation builds, the joint organising committee meeting in Dakar is expected to set the tone for what could be a landmark cultural and political moment for the ECOWAS region.
