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TWELFTH MEETING OF THE ECOWAS VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME REGIONAL COORDINATION COUNCIL

The twelfth meeting of the Regional Co-ordination Council of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme was held from 31 March to 2 April 2026 at Zuma Rock Resort, near Abuja, bringing together the key stakeholders involved in promoting volunteering in West Africa. This strategic meeting provides an ideal forum for discussion and consultation aimed at strengthening the impact of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme in support of peace, social cohesion and sustainable development in the region. In particular, it provided an opportunity to review the 2024–2025 annual activity report, assess the prospects for deploying volunteers by 2026, and adopt the work programme and budget for 2026. Participants also had the opportunity to review the 2025 regional monitoring and evaluation reports, and to approve key strategic documents relating to the programme’s future direction. Discussions also focused on the policies governing volunteers’ small-scale projects and low-value grants, as part of an ongoing effort to improve the effectiveness and transparency of interventions. As a reminder, the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme is part of an ambitious vision to mobilise citizens in support of peace and development. It works to bring together young people across the region – both women and men – around shared values based on solidarity, unity and civic engagement. Through its activities, the programme helps to strengthen the human and professional capacities of West African citizens, whilst supporting efforts towards regional integration, stability and shared prosperity. By promoting voluntary engagement, ECOWAS, in line with its Vision 2050, reaffirms its conviction that young people are a key force for social transformation and an essential driver for building a harmonious and sustainable future in West Africa.