Agence de Presse Ouest-Africaine
Agence de Presse Ouest-Africaine
Olivia Lima Boyanm of Cape Verde and Kader Abdoul Nanlo Coulibaly of Côte d'Ivoire are serving as ECOWAS volunteers at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. Both described their experiences at the first Olympic Games held on the African continent, with Olivia praising Senegal's organisation and Kader calling his time with the delegation magnificent.
The ECOWAS Regional Electricity Access Project has connected 490 localities and nearly 500,000 people across The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Mali, the ECOWAS Commission said as it opened the project's final Steering Committee meeting in Abuja. The US$225 million World Bank-financed project is scheduled to close on 31 December 2026, with Mali's energy director calling for a 30-month extension.
Navy Captain IJ Akpa, Commander of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone, received Dr Alusine Yilla, Medical Superintendent of Lungi Government Hospital, on a familiarization and courtesy visit on 29 October 2026. The two sides discussed potential cooperation on healthcare support, public health awareness, emergency preparedness and humanitarian response, with the visit coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Local authorities in Gao held a flag-raising ceremony on November 3, 2026, at the departmental high school, attended by heads of deconcentrated services, defense and security forces, volunteers and students. The event was coordinated by Paré Baba Harouna of the Gao road security post, who called for stronger social cohesion and civic commitment.
A delegation of the ECOWAS Parliamentary Oversight Committee has completed a five-day visit to The Gambia to assess ECOMIG's operations and progress towards transferring security responsibilities to national forces. Led by Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr, the delegation visited ECOMIG Force Headquarters and NIGCOY Camp and engaged stakeholders on security sector reform and transition arrangements. Its findings are expected to inform recommendations on the mission's effectiveness and the conditions for a sustainable transfer of responsibilities.
The ECOWAS Permanent Representative to the African Union told the AU Steering Committee on Security Sector Reform that reform must stay constructive and inclusive, warning it should not be used to settle scores. The committee's eighth meeting in Addis Ababa reviewed continental progress and highlighted joint ECOWAS workshops for parliamentarians held in Dakar and Bo.
Permanent representatives of Africa's Regional Economic Communities met the African Union Partner Embassies Group in Addis Ababa on 30 October 2026 to discuss institutional coordination and the year's agenda under Burundi's AU Presidency. ECOWAS flagged low ratification of the AU Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, while the Burundian Presidency presented a mid-term review of its mandate.
ECOWAS is supporting the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games through a partnership with Senegal's National Olympic and Sports Committee, providing financial and technical assistance, sponsoring 24 young volunteers from member states, and running an ECOWAS Village during the second week of the Games. The commission's leadership attended the opening ceremony on 31 October at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio.
An ECOWAS delegation led by resident representative Dr Khare Diouf visited the Cavally bridge site at Prollo during a mission organised by Côte d'Ivoire's ministry for African integration. Reports showed significant progress on the Liberian bank, while works on the Ivorian side face supply constraints and ferry difficulties. The Prefect of Tabou asked the contractor to present measures by the end of November.
ECOWAS Commission Vice-President Anthony Oluwatosin Ogunjimi met leaders and staff of the bloc's specialised agencies in Togo on 30 October 2026, including its Permanent Representation, the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food, the Infrastructure Project Preparation and Development Unit and the ECOWAS Burne Map. He outlined the new leadership team's priorities and called for staff commitment at all levels. The Commission said the visit was part of a dialogue with its institutions aimed at strengthening coordination on regional integration.
