ECOWAS Brings Its Message to Schools and Communities Across Sierra Leone

In a move to deepen regional integration, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken its 50th-anniversary celebrations beyond Freetown, engaging students and communities across four Sierra Leonean districts.
From 2 to 5 February 2026, ECOWAS, in partnership with the Sierra Leonean government, visited Kambia, Koinadugu, Tonkolili, and Kono, combining school sensitisation programs with district-level town hall meetings. The delegation was led by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Kenyeh Barlay, and ECOWAS Resident Representative, Ambassador John Azumah.
In secondary schools, students learned about ECOWAS’ history, mandate, and initiatives in peacebuilding, education, youth empowerment, and regional integration, with interactive sessions encouraging them to view the organization as a “community of people,” rather than a distant institution.
Outside the classroom, town hall discussions brought together traditional leaders, civil society actors, women and youth representatives, traders, security personnel, and the media. Key topics included ECOWAS’ role in peace and security, democratic governance, trade facilitation, food security, and job creation, aligned with the Vision 2050 agenda of “ECOWAS of the People, Peace and Prosperity for All.” Officials from Sierra Leone’s National Early Warning and Response Mechanism highlighted preventive diplomacy, while the Ministry of Trade explained how regional trade frameworks, like the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, can benefit local businesses.
Community stakeholders welcomed the initiative, describing it as a valuable opportunity to engage directly with regional policymakers and influence ECOWAS programs at the grassroots level.