ECOWAS and Partnersadvance Regional Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda, Host Consultation in Senegal.
By Raymond Enoch
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, in collaboration with key regional and international partners, has concluded a week-long series of consultations across Senegal aimed at advancing the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda. The regional initiative, held from 22nd to 27th September 2025, covered the regions of Matam, Tambacounda, and Kédougou, engaging stakeholders at the grassroots level to shape Senegal’s National Youth Action Plan.
These consultations served as a platform for robust dialogue between youth representatives, civil society organisations, traditional leaders, and government officials. Participants highlighted pressing challenges affecting young people in the region, including rising unemployment, irregular migration, cross-border insecurity, and limited youth involvement in decision-making processes.
Speaking during the sessions, ECOWAS officials underscored the importance of local ownership and inclusive policymaking to build sustainable peace in the region. “Youth are not only victims of insecurity—they are also key agents of change,” one official stated, calling for increased investment in youth empowerment and governance inclusion.
The outcomes of these regional consultations will directly inform the formulation of Senegal’s National Youth Action Plan (NAP) on Youth, Peace and Security. The plan will be developed under the guidance of a National Task Force and Steering Committee, with technical support from the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) and financial assistance from the ECOWAS Peace Fund.
Local authorities in the host regions commended the initiative, describing it as timely and vital for addressing the growing frustration among young people, especially in border communities disproportionately affected by insecurity and socio-economic marginalisation.
As ECOWAS works to replicate similar processes across other member states, the Senegal consultations mark a critical step in localising the 2015 UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security—affirming the role of youth in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and national development.
With the groundwork laid in Senegal, the Commission aims to see concrete policies implemented that not only address youth grievances but also position them as active contributors to peace and stability across the West African sub-region.
