ECOWAS Citizens, Diplomats, European Policymakers Mark ECOWAS 50 Years Celebration with Dialogue on ‘ECOWAS Policy Analysis (EPAS) Papers’
20th November 2025, Brussels
The ECOWAS Commission, together with Germany, European policymakers, and representatives of diplomatic missions from West Africa put West Africa’s regional development at the center during the ECOWAS Policy Analysis Series (EPAS) Dialogue event, held in Brussels, Belgium.
The hybrid event also brought together over 70 members of the diplomatic corps of ECOWAS Member States and the Sahel countries, West African Citizens, Diaspora Organizations, the Academia and other regional organisations such as the African Union, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) representatives, Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, accredited to Brussels.
Other stakeholders at the event included independent researchers, ECOWAS technical and financial partners, journalists and other African civil society stakeholders based in Europe, and through the dialogue, development stakeholders came together to reflect on five decades of regional integration in West Africa through the ECOWAS Policy Analysis Series (EPAS) Dialogue, a flagship initiative, reassessing regional integration in West Africa through 14 insightful policy papers across themes ranging from governance to climate and trade.
While declaring the event open, H.E. Ms. Damtien TCHINTCHIBIDJA, Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission noted that the dialogue event and launch of the 14 Policy papers in Brussels, Belgium presents a platform that will facilitate many conversations, across many thematic areas and among diverse range of in order to work together and partner with European organisations, the EU, and its member states – to address key challenges around economic and political regional integration in West Africa.
“Our voices, our conversations, our actions here today will advance the mandate and strength of civil society – from international organisations, academia, young people, women then to local groups”, added TCHINTCHIBIDJA.
The EPAS dialogue hosted three main panel discussions with panelists putting a spotlight on themes such as: 1. Peace and Security for the West African Region, 2. Economic Integration, Energy and Infrastructure and 3. Social Inclusion and Gender, with the panels being moderated by technical experts from Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) through a hybrid event.
Dr. Amandine Gnanguênon, facilitator at the EPAS Dialogue event and Senior Fellow and Head of Geopolitics Program, APRI together with Svenja Ossmann, ECOWAS Cluster Coordinator at GIZ, and Christopher Ogunmodede, Journalists and Editor of the policy series led panelists and participants through discussions on the key findings of a selection of Policy papers, discussed during the EPAS dialogue.
Similarly, the dialogue offered an opportunity for EU policymakers to discuss progress and new inroads for strategic partnerships between European member states and West Africa centered on the development of ECOWAS member states, through the European-African Partnership, with a focus on the challenges and perspectives for deepening regional integration.
The EPAS dialogue event had the objectives to
- Enhance awareness of ECOWAS’s achievements and challenges after 50 years.
- Share evidence-based insights from the EPAS to inform EU–ECOWAS policy dialogue.
- Stimulate debate on how ECOWAS can adapt its role in deepening regional integration.
- Strengthen visibility of ECOWAS and deepen mutual understanding with Brussels Stakeholders including European partners, international organisations, and the African diaspora.
Speaking earlier on, H.E. Dedou HEMOU, Permanent Representative of ECOWAS to Brussels welcomed participants and dignitaries via a welcome address highlighted that event offers an opportunity for deep reflection, an opportunity to reconnect with the voices of young people, the academia, women, media and policy stakeholders in Europe and Africa.
Ms Jeanne LÄTT, Representative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, in a goodwill message highlighted that Germany remains steadfast in its belief in multilateralism and in the conviction that we are stronger together. She highlighted that the partnership between Germany and ECOWAS is rooted in this belief.
“This is why we are proud to support today’s dialogue. The 50th anniversary is not only a celebration, but also an invitation extended by ECOWAS to think boldly about the next 50 years. As ECOWAS Vision 2050 rightly emphasises, the goal is to build a secure, stable, and prosperous region, and above all to bring ECOWAS closer to the people. The ECOWAS Policy Analysis Series makes an important contribution toward this goal: it creates space for thoughtful, innovative, and sometimes challenging reflections from scholars, practitioners, and concerned voices from across the region and beyond” added LATT.
Over the past year, 14 policy papers were produced under the EPAS initiative, analysing ECOWAS’s achievements, challenges, and opportunities across key sectors such as trade, governance, climate, energy, digital transformation, and gender inclusion.
As ECOWAS celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, the organisation is reflecting on its history of advancing democracy, governance, peace, and regional integration, while also adapting to a changing geopolitical environment.
To contribute to this reflection, German Development Cooperation through its Organisational Development Programme: Support to the ECOWAS Commission, commissioned the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) to produce 14 policy papers under the ECOWAS Policy Analysis Series (EPAS) to explore how ECOWAS can better engage with civil society, the private sector, local communities, youth, and women to address pressing challenges in the years ahead. These papers provide in-depth analysis of ECOWAS’s achievements and challenges by autumn 2025.
