The Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission in partnership with the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS) is holding a 3-day Regional Conference on Sustainable Participation of Youth in Governance in the ECOWAS region. The Regional Conference is taking place from 7 to 9 May, 2025 in Accra Ghana.

Holding under the theme “Harnessing Youth Agency in Deepening Democratic Governance and Inclusive Development”, the Regional Conference, which is a flagship program of the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, is aimed at providing a platform for constructive youth engagement in democratic governance, including promoting youth-led and youth-focused initiatives and practical strategy to enhance meaningful and sustainable youth participation in the democratic governance and inclusive development.

Welcoming participants to the Conference, Honourable George Opare Addo, Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment of Ghana, expressed appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission for the choice of Ghana as host of this landmark event. He also congratulated the participants and the entire ECOWAS citizens on the commemoration of its 50^th anniversary since its establishment, which kicked off two weeks ago with a colourful ceremony in Accra under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama.

The Minister stressed that the focus of the Conference aligns with the priorities of the government of Ghana. He concluded by urging participants to engage in stimulating sessions with a view to highlighting practical solutions, intergenerational collaboration, which will forge relations that go beyond the conference.

Declaring the Conference Open, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau MUSAH (Ph.D.) the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, represented by Mr Ebenezer Asiedu, Head of Democracy and Good Governance, stressed that ECOWAS Commission intends to maintain this Conference on an annual basis to serve as safe spaces for meaningful and frank conversations that will examine and shape the dynamics of democratic governance, where the power and agency of youth drive change, innovation and stability in Member States. While noting the vital role that the youths have always played in shaping the destiny of the region, he emphasized ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to empowering the youth with the required support and tools to uphold and defend democratic norms and regional integration values in the region.

The Commissioner further decried the dwindling youth engagement and participation in democratic governance, despite the youth forming the bulk of the electorate across Member States. To this end, he urged Community youth to embrace positive attitudes, behaviours, and active agency towards democratic and governance processes to engender meaningful societal governance changes.

He also called upon Member States’ governments to take decisive actions to bolster democracy and governance, particularly focusing on youth empowerment and inclusion, whilst further urging governments and CSOs to earmark dedicated interventions and programs to further promote gender inclusivity and young women’s empowerment, particularly in decision-making and political process, building on the marginal successes the region has witnessed.

Goodwill Messages from Mrs. Anna LIXI – Head of Governance and Security and Mrs. Franziska JEBENS – Head of Cooperation, representing the European Union delegation to Ghana and the German Embassy in Ghana, respectively, noted that efforts made to convene youth stakeholders to the Regional Conference is a vital step to addressing some of the challenges that hinder meaningful involvement of young people in democracy in the region.

They stressed the centrality of empowering young people to participate in democratic processes for sustainable development, political stability, and strengthening the legitimacy of governments in West Africa.

Participants at the Regional Conference included H.E Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, Resident Representative of the President of ECOWAS Commission in Ghana, represented by Mr Francis Chuks Njoaguani, Director, ECOWAS Youths and Sport Development Centre; Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, Project Director, WADEMOS Network & Executive Director, CDD-Ghana, represented by Mrs. Clara KASSER-TEE, the Vice-Chair, Board of Directors of CDD-Ghana, youth leaders as well as pro-democracy veterans and human rights activists across the ECOWAS region.

The Conference is supported by the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) project, co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and jointly implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Expertise France (EF), and Fundación Internacional y Para Iberoamérica de Administración y Políticas Públicas (FIAP).