ECOWAS charts new way forward for strategic and impact-driven communication
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is taking bold steps to enhance its visibility, reinforce its brand identity, and better connect with citizens and stakeholders through proactive, strategic, and impact-driven communication.
To this end, ECOWAS held a four-day retreat and capacity-building workshop for communication officers from the Commission, its Institutions, and Agencies from 22 to 25 July 2025 in Banjul, The Gambia. The retreat, organized by the ECOWAS Directorate of Communication in collaboration with GIZ, focused on strengthening participants’ skills in strategic and digital communication, while laying the foundation for a new, comprehensive ECOWAS Communication Strategy aligned with the goals of Vision 2050.
Delivering the opening remarks, Mr. Abdou KOLLEY, Director of Cabinet in the Office of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, described the retreat as “a major milestone in our collective journey. and builds on the foundations laid during our last Communications Retreat in Lagos in 2024 and now moves us into a new phase, which is the development of a comprehensive ECOWAS Communication Strategy, fully aligned with the goals and spirit of Vision 2050. impact.”
He emphasized the importance of shifting from reactive to proactive communication, noting that: “We must ensure that the voice of ECOWAS is not only heard, but trusted, valued, and followed. We must respond with creativity, agility, and cohesion to the pressing challenges of our time—rising misinformation, political polarization, and the growing trust deficit between institutions and citizens.”
He added that the retreat is an opportunity to take stock, assess progress, identify gaps, and equip communication teams with the tools and mindset necessary to navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving digital information landscape.
In a goodwill message, the German Ambassador to The Gambia, Klaus BOTZET, commended the retreat’s alignment with the broader ECOWAS regional integration agenda.
“From reviewing the current state of ECOWAS communication to laying the groundwork for a new strategy and building practical skills in digital storytelling, the retreat addresses the core of ECOWAS’s mission for deeper integration,” he stated.
Declaring the retreat officially open on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY, the ECOWAS Resident Representative to The Gambia, H.E. Miatta Lily FRENCH, described the retreat as not merely a training program but a strategic turning point and a moment to re-imagine, re-examine, and recalibrate how ECOWAS communicates to the world.
“We cannot continue to allow ECOWAS to be misunderstood or misrepresented,” she said. “We must take charge of our narrative. We must speak up when our integrity is questioned, and counter disinformation that threatens to divide our communities and destabilize our region,” she stated.
The retreat signals ECOWAS’ renewed commitment to transforming its communication approach, bridging the gap with citizens, and reinforcing regional unity and resilience through impactful storytelling and strategic engagement. -Press release.
