ECOWAS Launches Youth Awareness Campaign in Gambia

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) launched an awareness campaign at Gambia Senior Secondary School, involving 250 students from grades 10, 11, and 12. This initiative is part of a broader campaign aimed at increasing youth awareness of ECOWAS, strengthening regional citizenship, and encouraging active participation in regional integration efforts across West Africa.

The awareness session included presentations on ECOWAS's mandate, frameworks for free movement, regional trade, economic cooperation, and youth opportunities for active citizenship. Mr. Babucarr Jobe, Vice Principal of Gambia Senior Secondary School, and Ms. Neneh Cham, President of the Gambia Bar Association, encouraged students to play an active role in regional development.

A major highlight of the event was the introduction of the ECOWAS Club, a student-led platform designed to sustain awareness and engage with ECOWAS issues within the school community. The campaign will culminate in a stakeholder dialogue scheduled for July 3, 2026, aimed at bringing together civil society organizations, community leaders, media practitioners, and youth representatives.