DAKAR 2026: ECOWAS VILLAGE SPOTLIGHTS SPORTS, YOUTH AS DRIVERS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION By Elizabeth Weje

DAKAR The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is using the platform of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) to reinforce the role of sports and young people in advancing regional integration, solidarity and human development across West Africa, with its ECOWAS Village emerging as a strategic hub for promoting the ideals of a united and connected region.

This vision received further institutional backing on Saturday, November 7, 2026, when heads of ECOWAS institutions and offices based in Dakar visited the Village, underscoring the regional bloc’s commitment to harnessing sports and youth engagement as instruments for fostering cooperation, mutual understanding and a shared West African identity.

The delegation included the Director of the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Mr Mam Cherno Jallow; ECOWAS Resident Representative in Senegal, Ms Zelma Nobre Fassinou; Director of the ECOWAS Centre for Youth and Sports Development (CDJS), Mr Francis Chuks Njoaguani; and ECOWAS Director of Communications, Mr Joel Ahofodji.

They were accompanied by representatives of the ECOWAS National Office and the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC).

The visit provided an opportunity for the officials to familiarise themselves with the activities of the Village, interact with young volunteers and visitors, and appreciate how the initiative is translating ECOWAS’s regional integration agenda into practical engagement with citizens, particularly young people.

Beyond its presence at the international sporting event, the ECOWAS Village represents an important platform for bringing the Community closer to its citizens through sports, cultural exchange, youth participation and public engagement.

At a time when West Africa is seeking stronger bonds of solidarity and greater regional cooperation, the initiative highlights the potential of sports to transcend national boundaries, unite diverse communities and create opportunities for young people to participate meaningfully in shaping the region’s future.

The involvement of officials from different ECOWAS institutions also reflects a shared institutional commitment to ensuring that youth development, gender inclusion, sports promotion and regional cooperation remain interconnected priorities.

For ECOWAS, the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games provide more than an opportunity to celebrate athletic talent and sporting excellence. They offer a significant platform to demonstrate how young people can become active ambassadors of peace, unity, social cohesion and regional development.

Through the ECOWAS Village concept, the Commission is reinforcing the conviction that regional integration must extend beyond diplomatic engagements and institutional frameworks to embrace people-to-people connections, shared experiences and opportunities that inspire a collective sense of belonging among West Africans.

As the Youth Olympic Games bring together young athletes and visitors from different parts of the world, ECOWAS is positioning sports and youth participation at the centre of its efforts to build a more cohesive, peaceful and integrated West African Community.