New Vision for Youth Takes Center- Stage as ECOWAS set for a Next Generation Landmark Regional Youth Conference July, 2025.

By Raymond Enoch

In a pioneering historic move in aligning with its 50th anniversary celebrations, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will convene a Regional Youth Conference in Saly Portudal, Senegal, from July 1 to 3, 2025. Themed “Engaging ECOWAS for a New Vision of Youth,” the high-level event promises to spotlight youth voices as central to shaping West Africa’s future.

This groundbreaking conference is set to bring together an unprecedented mix of youth leaders, regional policymakers, development experts, and civil society actors. Key topics on the agenda include youth employment, entrepreneurship, education, and vocational training—critical sectors where the region’s young population faces both challenges and untapped potential.

Organizers say the gathering will serve as a strategic platform for dialogue, co-creation, and policy influence, helping to bridge the gap between West African youth and regional decision-makers. It aims to generate collaborative solutions and set the stage for a more inclusive, youth-driven ECOWAS in the decades to come.

By placing young people at the center of regional transformation, ECOWAS signals a bold new commitment to intergenerational leadership, sustainable development, and long-term peacebuilding across West Africa.