WACSI, WADEMOS Convene Regional Citizens’ Forum on Operationalisation of ECOWAS-ECOSOCC
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[West Africa, Ghana 17 September 2026] At a time when West Africa is experiencing political transitions, democratic pressures, insecurity, shrinking civic space and declining public confidence in institutions, the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), in partnership with the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), convened the first Regional Citizens’ Forum on the operationalisation of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of ECOWAS (ECOWAS-ECOSOCC). The forum examined how citizens and non-state actors can contribute to shaping the Council and strengthening citizen participation in regional governance.
Held virtually via Zoom as a special edition of WACSI’s West Africa Civil Society Policy Dialogue Series (WACPoDiS), the forum brought together 151 participants from across the region, including civil society actors and representatives of regional institutions. Discussions focused on the mandate, institutional framework and progress towards operationalising ECOWAS-ECOSOCC, as well as opportunities for meaningful and representative citizen participation.
ECOWAS-ECOSOCC is provided for under Article 14 of the 1993 Revised ECOWAS Treaty as an advisory body intended to provide a platform for non-state actors, including civil society organisations, women, youth, labour, the private sector, professional bodies, academia and the media, to engage with regional institutions. Speakers noted that its operationalisation could provide a structured channel for citizens to contribute to regional policy and integration processes.
In her opening remarks, WACSI Executive Director, Dr Nana Afadzinu, described the forum as an opportunity to consider how regional integration can become more responsive to the realities of citizens. She highlighted the need for an ECOWAS in which citizens have meaningful opportunities to shape decisions that affect their lives, noting that the Council should serve as a bridge between regional institutions and the people.
Moderating the forum, WACSI’s Head of Policy, Influencing and Advocacy and Country Lead for Nigeria, Omolara Balogun, connected the discussions to ongoing efforts to strengthen national civil society platforms as channels for bottom-up regional policy influencing. She also highlighted the need to ensure participation from countries currently outside ECOWAS structures and announced a forthcoming youth-focused forum scheduled for 2 October 2026.
Representing ECOWAS, GNACADJA Constant Cocou, Acting Head of Division for Mediation and Coordination for Regional Political Affairs, explained that ECOSOCC is the only ECOWAS institution provided for in the Revised Treaty that is yet to be operationalised. He outlined progress made since consultations began in 2021, including the preparation and validation of key documents and recent engagements with the ECOWAS Parliament and relevant institutional committees.
Drawing lessons from the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU ECOSOCC), Dr Abraham Asha, AU ECOSOCC Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator, highlighted the importance of transparent representation, accessibility, accountability, sustainable financing and clear channels for citizen engagement. He noted that national chapters, thematic clusters and structured policy consultations could provide useful entry points for participation.
Dr Kojo Asante, Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at the Ghana-based Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), emphasised that ECOSOCC should complement existing civic engagement rather than create parallel structures. He called for a bottom-up representation model and broader inclusion of private sector actors, professional associations and academia in the operationalisation process.
Participants also raised questions around representation, financing, grassroots participation and the inclusion of citizens from across the region. The forum concluded with calls for continued consultation on the institutional framework and broader mobilisation ahead of the planned consideration of ECOSOCC at the December 2026 ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government Summit.
The Regional Citizens’ Forum is part of a wider WACSI and WADEMOS-led engagement aimed at strengthening citizen participation in the operationalisation of ECOWAS-ECOSOCC and advancing the vision of an ECOWAS that is more connected to the people it serves.
Watch the recorded version of the forum. Click Here.
About the author
Bridget Abiem
Bridget Abiem is a development enthusiast and intern at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) NODE in Nigeria. She holds a background in Plant Breeding and Seed Science, with a growing interest in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL). Her interests lie in research, knowledge systems, and strengthening institutional effectiveness within civil society organisations. Bridget is particularly passionate about evidence-informed programming, organisational learning, and building systems that drive sustainable and impactful development outcomes. She is committed to continuous learning and contributing meaningfully to development practice across West Africa.
