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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in conjunction with the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), has launched a five-day training workshop from 17 to 21 October 2025 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to prepare young observers for participation in election observation missions.
The initiative, implemented under the pilot project “Mainstreaming Youth into the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EEOM),” marks a milestone in promoting youth inclusion in democratic governance across the region.
The training brings together 22 young observers from 11 ECOWAS Member States, who will be deployed on election day, 25 October 2025, to observe the electoral process. The project is aimed at enhancing youth participation in electoral processes across the West African region, promoting inclusive democratic governance, and strengthening electoral integrity. This marks the first time young observers will be formally integrated into an ECOWAS Election Observation Mission.
Furthermore, Kadiatu Tholley from the National Elections Watch (NEW) and Sorie Ibrahim Koroma from the Center for Electoral and Civic Education, representing Sierra Leone, are active participants giving out recommendations and strategies on how ECOWAS member states to involve youths in Governance and Electoral processes.
Finally, Serigne KA from the ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division and Irchad Razaaly, the Ambassador of the European Union (EU), called on the youths present to use the pilot phase project as an advantage to influence ECOWAS and various countries’ governments to have a policy that will ensure the youth’s full participation in governance and election observation.
