Ahead of the Summit of the Future scheduled for May, ECOWAS brought together experts, institutional leaders, civil society actors and technical partners in Saly for a strategic dialogue dedicated to women and youth in governance, peace and security.

Professor Fatou Sow Sarr: "Moving from observations to solutions"

Opening the proceedings, the Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, commended the mobilization of "a unique community of experts with proven skills," gathered for the 50th anniversary of the regional organization. According to her, the meeting must move beyond "outdated certainties" to generate new knowledge and a collective intelligence capable of driving concrete transformations. "West Africa needs less promise and more proof, less rhetoric and more tangible results for its women and youth," she emphasized.

Faced with persistent challenges—insecurity, poverty, the marginalization of women, massive youth unemployment, and institutional fragility—the Commissioner calls for a paradigm shift. For her, these difficulties should no longer be seen as inevitable, but rather as "the symptoms of untapped potential." The region, she reminds us, possesses major assets: abundant natural resources, but above all, a young, creative, and resilient population. Nearly 75% of the inhabitants are under 35, and women represent approximately 52% of the population.

Youth and women: drivers of stability and growth

For Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, youth should no longer be seen as a mere demographic challenge, but as the driving force behind inclusive growth, particularly through digital technology and innovation. She also emphasizes the need to directly involve young people in decision-making processes, going beyond mere formal representation. On the issue of peace and security, she underlines that "the face of peace remains desperately masculine" in the sub-region. However, experience shows that the involvement of women in mediation and crisis resolution processes fosters lasting solutions. She specifically cited the crucial role played by women in Guinea-Bissau and in the Mano River region.

Beyond the already numerous diagnoses, the Commissioner advocates for a more transparent, participatory, and locally grounded approach to "public policy engineering." She highlights recurring weaknesses: poor policy implementation, lack of political will, absence of monitoring and evaluation, and insufficient funding. The proposed strategy involves adopting model laws at the regional level, in collaboration with the ECOWAS Parliament, to guarantee greater representation of women. She cited as an example the parity law in Senegal, which has resulted in a significant presence of women in the National Assembly and in local government.

A dialogue that is part of Vision 2050

Speaking on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Oumar Alieu Touray, the Resident Representative in Senegal, Her Excellency Ms. Zelma Yolande Nobre Fassinou, welcomed the holding of this dialogue “on Senegalese soil, the land of Teranga (hospitality).” She emphasized that this meeting marks a turning point in the strategic reflection undertaken on the occasion of the organization’s 50th anniversary. She stated that economic and social integration cannot be effective without genuine consideration of the civil, political, economic, and cultural rights of women and young people.

In a region where 66% of the population is young, it is becoming urgent to anticipate the growing demand for employment, education, health and social protection.

The contributions resulting from this dialogue will inform the Pact for the Future, which will be submitted to the Heads of State and Government. At the end of her address, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr called for collective action: “The time for mere observation is over. The time for collective action begins now.” The ambition is clear: to transform West Africa from a market into an integrated, stable, and prosperous regional power.