As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) marks its 50th anniversary, political leaders, scholars, and policymakers have disagreed over whether regional organisations remain essential to Africa’s integration or have become detached bureaucracies failing to serve the people.
While some argue that regional organisations remain indispensable for Africa’s economic transformation and global voice, others describe them as elitist, disconnected, and increasingly irrelevant to the lived realities of the citizens they claim to represent.
The event, held on Friday under the theme “Reimagining West African Regional Cooperation and Integration: Alternative Futures” was organised in Abuja by ECOWAS, Africa Leadership Centre (ALC), the Amandla Institute, and the Mandela Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement.
It brought together leading voices from government, academia, and civil society to interrogate the successes, failures, and future of ECOWAS at 50.
Speaki
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