Dakar, 2 November 2026 – At the venues of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, amongst the thousands of volunteers mobilised to bring to life the first Olympic Games organised on the African continent, one delegation fully embodies the spirit of ECOWAS: that of the young volunteers from the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Coming from diverse backgrounds, these young people wear much more than just a volunteer’s uniform. They share a common ambition: to make Dakar 2026 a moment of coming together, solidarity and pride for the whole of West Africa. From welcoming delegations and guiding spectators to providing logistical support and assisting teams on the ground, every task becomes an opportunity to forge links between the peoples of the region.

Their presence illustrates ECOWAS’s commitment to youth, regional integration and social cohesion. Throughout this trip, these young people are not merely involved in organising the Games: they are becoming ambassadors for a united, dynamic and forward-looking West Africa.

Among them is Olivia Lima Boyanm, a young volunteer from Cape Verde, who has agreed to share her thoughts and expectations regarding this exceptional adventure.

On her very first visit to Senegal, Olivia expresses her delight at having had the opportunity, thanks to ECOWAS, to take part in a historic event such as the Dakar 2026 YOG. She says she has been particularly struck by the cultural richness of Senegal and that of the other ECOWAS member states, which she is discovering through her interactions with young volunteers from across West Africa.

Convinced that she will emerge transformed by this experience, the young Cape Verdean praised the organisation put in place by Senegal and the pride she feels at taking part in this event.

“I never imagined that one day Africa would be able to host the Youth Olympic Games. And now, for the first time, we are witnessing an exceptional spectacle,” she said.

Olivia concluded by expressing her thanks to the Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSS) and ECOWAS. She also encouraged young people in Cape Verde and across Africa to take up more sport and to take an interest in ECOWAS’s initiatives for young people.

“Magnificent”: that is the word which, according to Kader Abdoul Nanlo Coulibaly, a young volunteer from Côte d’Ivoire, sums up his experience as part of the ECOWAS delegation.

Speaking of the opening ceremony, the cultural diversity he encountered there, the West African network he has built through the volunteer programme, and the professional experience he has gained, Kader makes no secret of his enthusiasm.

“From the spectacular opening ceremony hosted by Senegal to this cultural diversity, not to mention the West African network that this volunteer programme has enabled me to build and the professional experience I’ve been fortunate enough to gain, ‘magnificent’ is the only word that springs to mind,” he said.

A student of sports organisation management, Kader sees his participation in the Dakar YOG as a real asset to his academic journey, enabling him to combine theory with practice. He also expresses his pride in representing Côte d’Ivoire, as an ECOWAS volunteer, at the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.