ECOWAS Reaffirms Commitment to Women’s Leadership at High-Level AWLN Forum In New York

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive governance at the High-Level Africa Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Forum held on the 24^th of September, 2025 in New York, co-hosted by the African Union (AU), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and AWLN.

The event which held on the margins of the 80^th session of the UN General Assembly, brought together high-level dignitaries, including former Heads of State, Ministers, Senior UN officials led by Deputy Secretary General, H.E Madam Amina Mohammed, Development Partners, as well as women and youth leaders, to deepen partnerships and shape collective action on ‘Advancing Women Political Participation in Africa’

Representing ECOWAS at the event, Her Excellency Damtien Larbli Tchintchibidja, Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, delivered a compelling goodwill message that underscored the centrality of inclusive governance to the regional integration and development agenda of the ECOWAS region.

Her Excellency the Vice President also reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to advancing the vision of a region where leadership is broad-based, participatory, and anchored in the values of equality and shared responsibility, and also emphasized that as ECOWAS marks fifty years of regional solidarity, the region looks ahead with renewed purpose, to build institutions that reflect the strength, diversity and aspirations of its people.

Vice President Tchintchibidja commended the conveners of the AWLN Forum for fostering a pan-African dialogue on leadership transformation. She also highlighted the alignment of the Forum’s objectives with the ECOWAS Vision 2050, which prioritizes inclusive development, resilient institutions, and citizen-driven governance.

Speakers exchanged insights on building sustainable leadership pipelines, strengthening policy and institutional frameworks, and expanding cooperation through mechanisms such as the Africa Facility to Support Women in Political Leadership.

The Vice President of the Commission called for investment in inclusive leadership to create stronger societies, deeper democracies, and a more peaceful and prosperous Africa.

ECOWAS’ participation in the Forum underscores its commitment to advancing continental goals for inclusion and sustainable development, and its determination to be a leading voice in shaping Africa’s future through collaborative and people-centered governance.