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The ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) took part on Monday, June 1, 2026, at King Fahd Palace in Dakar, Republic of Senegal, in the celebration of the 51st anniversary of ECOWAS organized by the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA). This celebration, under the theme “Building the ECOWAS of tomorrow today“, aimed to recall and highlight the achievements of ECOWAS in terms of regional integration and development over the past fifty years, and also to make projections for the construction of the future of the Region for the next 50 years.
The challenge of this celebration was to demonstrate that for 51 years, ECOWAS has been a symbol of unity, cooperation and common aspiration for a peaceful, prosperous and integrated West Africa.
Present at this celebration were: the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Senegal, the Embassies of ECOWAS Member States in Senegal, the ECOWAS National Office in Senegal, the Delegation of the European Union to Senegal, technical and financial partners as well as the staff of the GIABA/EGDC pool.
Mrs. Sandra OULATÉ FATTOH, Director of the EGDC, in her speech, called on the various Institutions, Directorates, and Agencies that make up ECOWAS, to work in synergy to implement avant-garde and perfectly harmonized actions that will meet the needs of the people of West Africa. Thus, she called on GIABA to join forces with the EGDC and the Directorate of Environment and Natural Resources for the beach cleaning activity scheduled to take place in Dakar on June 4, 2026, to also mark the celebration of the 51st anniversary of ECOWAS. She first indicated this activity as relevant in the construction of the future of the Community space. Secondly, this activity marks the EGDC’s dynamic to move towards more concrete collaborations in the field through actions, programs and projects that impact and structure in the West African populations.
The Representative of the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Senegal stressed that despite the difficulties and crises that the Community has experienced in recent years, particularly terrorism and the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the community spirit remains and the will to preserve the gains of integration remains intact. He recalled that beyond the current challenges, the celebration of this 51st anniversary is also an opportunity to reaffirm the attachment to the ideal of an “ECOWAS of the peoples”, in accordance with the 2050 vision. He concluded by reiterating the deep attachment of the Heads of State to ECOWAS, which remains a unique framework for expression, dialogue and action to face the challenges of the sub-region in a spirit of solidarity.
His Excellency Edwin Harris Jr, Director General of GIABA read the message of His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY, President of the ECOWAS Commission. The message underlines that this year’s theme, “Building the ECOWAS of Tomorrow Today “, is both a call to action and a statement of intent. The achievements of ECOWAS over the past fifty years have been significant, but they are not closed chapters in the history of the Community. They are only the foundations of a future that we must continue to shape together. Thus, at the beginning of this new chapter for ECOWAS, it is necessary to face the realities with lucidity and courage. Building tomorrow’s ECOWAS today means investing in peace and security, strengthening regional economic integration, advancing digital transformation, and fostering a culture of accountability and good governance. This means building trust between institutions and citizens, and ensuring that the Community remains relevant, responsive and resilient.
This celebration was also a new opportunity for GIABA and the EGDC to demonstrate their common commitment to solidify their collaboration within the framework of Dakar Pooling Station (DPS) through actions on the ground and responsible choices daily, with a view to building a more resilient community aligned with current sustainable development issues.
As a reminder, the Economic Community of West African States was created on May 28, 1975, by the signing of a Treaty in Lagos. This regional grouping, now composed of 12 member states, is given the mandate to promote economic integration, social cohesion and political stability across West Africa.