ECOWAS Commission Holds Internal Consultative Workshop on the Establishment of Economic, Social and Cultural Council in West Africa.

in order to galvanise a responsive regional civil society, the ECOWAS Commission will hold an internal consultative Workshop on the establishment of an Economic, Social and Cultural Council in West Africa (ECOSOCC-WA), beginning from the 12^th of December, 2023, in Lagos, Nigeria.

The two-day Workshop which is being supported by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), and organised by the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), brings together officials from the relevant ECOWAS Departments, Directorates and Divisions who are to jointly lay a solid foundation for the creation of ECOSOCC-WA while strategically positioning the regional organisation for the attainment of its 4 x 4 objectives and Vision 2050, among others.

The participants will also be deliberating on the vision, mission, and relevance of ECOSOCC-WA within the context of the wider efforts aimed at consolidating democracy, peace and security in view of the unprecedented political instability and insecurity, governance challenges as well as the resurgence of coups, including the rise, in recent times, of terrorism and organized crimes in the region.

Apart from steering the rebirth of an active civil society movement when established, ECOSOCC-WA is also expected to create space, networks, and conditions within Member States and the region for the promotion and consolidation of human security through a regional representation of the specific needs and interests of West African countries and citizens.

A firmly established ECOSOCC-WA is seen as movement that can play a crucial role in identifying emerging social and economic trends and issues by strengthening the use of dialogue, advocacy, as well as policy recommendations in the resolution of common challenges of poverty, inequality, political instability, environmental difficulties and conflict.

After the initial internal consultative meeting, the next phase of the ECOSOCC establishment would involve the buy-in and contributions of ECOWAS partners, representatives of the AU-ECOSOCC and UN-ECOSOC, as well as Civil Societies Organisations (SCOs) operating at the regional level, especially youth-focussed CSOs in Member States, among others.