ECOWAS at 50: Parakou University Conference looks at Progress, Challenges, and the Future for West African Integration.

By Raymond Enoch

The ECOWAS Representative in Benin
Ambassador Amadou DIONGUE,I n collaboration with the University of Parakou has organized a high-profile conference-debate to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The event gathered over 300 attendees, including students, academics, civil society leaders, and key stakeholders from various sectors, offering an in-depth reflection on ECOWAS’s remarkable journey over the last five decades with the theme “50 Years of ECOWAS: Achievements, Gains, Challenges, Issues, and Perspectives for the Full Realization of ECOWAS of the Peoples”

The conference provided an invaluable platform for engaging dialogue on the evolution of the organization and its impact on West Africa. The opening session, moderated by Professor Yvette Onibon Doubogan, Vice-Rector of the University of Parakou, and was marked by stirring addresses from prominent personalities, including H.E. Ambassador Amadou Diongue, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Benin, and Mr. Faustin Guidi, Head of the ECOWAS National Office in Benin.

The conference was structured into two key sessions. The first session featured insightful speeches and discussions with key figures such as Dr. Laurent Oloukoi, an expert in International Economics, and Professor Alix Servais Afouda, from the Laboratory for Regional Analysis and Social Expertise (LARES). These presentations highlighted ECOWAS’s critical role in fostering regional integration and improving the socio-economic conditions of West Africa, especially in terms of peace, security, and governance.

The second session saw a dynamic expert panel discussion moderated by the Vice-Rector. With a focus on critical topics like the free movement of people and goods, financial integration, the single currency project, and the challenges of achieving a fully integrated region, the panelists provided a well-rounded analysis of ECOWAS’s past, present, and future. The discussions also addressed the significant concerns of the withdrawal of certain countries from the African Economic Space (AES), and the ongoing efforts to ensure peace, security, and sustainable development.

One of the highlights of the conference was the lively participation of students and faculty, who engaged with speakers and panelists to explore the various dimensions of regional integration. A key takeaway was the importance of informed youth engagement in countering misinformation, especially in a rapidly changing global landscape, and how this contributes to strengthening ECOWAS’s objectives under the Management Plan and the ECOWAS Vision 2050.

As ECOWAS looks to the future, the conference underscored the necessity of continued collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility across member states to fully realize the goals of the ECOWAS of the Peoples.

In his closing remarks, ECOWAS Resident Representative H.E. Ambassador Amadou Diongue emphasized that the organization’s long-standing vision of unity and prosperity for the people of West Africa remains ever relevant.

With the leadership of Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, and the commitment of all stakeholders, ECOWAS is poised to embrace the next 50 years with optimism, striving to create a more integrated and prosperous region for future generations.

The conference did not only looked at ECOWAS’s achievements but also provided an important reflection on the challenges that lie ahead for the organization, solidifying its role as a pillar of West African cooperation.