The Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement is set to host a meeting of experts to reflect on the opportunities and challenges that have defined West Africa’s integration journey.
According to a statement issued by the institute on Monday, the event, themed, ‘Reimagining West Africa regional cooperation and integration: Alternative futures’, will also witness the second edition of ‘The African Public Square (APS)’.
The APS features a debate between experts in international development and public policy on ECOWAS’ achievements and challenges in the bloc’s 50-year existence, including the withdrawal of three member states.
The event will be held at the main auditorium of the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja between October 31 and November 1 and is organised in collaboration with the African Leadership Centre, Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), and The West Africa Citizen Think Tank (WATHI).
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“The dialogue aims to inspire fresh thinking and chart a resilient, people-centred path for the region’s future,” the statement reads.
“At the heart of the 50th anniversary discourse lies the paradox of regional integration in Africa, which is a tale of two worlds: the ambitions of states and the lived realities of people.
“While governments often set the agenda, grassroots interactions continue to outpace formal policies, exposing a widening gap between institutional frameworks and citizen-led integration.”
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According to the statement, the dialogue will spark renewed commitment for policymakers towards ensuring that regional integration becomes a lived reality for all West Africans.
