The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), has commenced a workshop in Accra to advance the implementation of its Inter-Institutional Communication Strategy and Information and Communication Policy for 2026–2031.
The workshop brings together communication officers from ECOWAS institutions and specialised agencies to strengthen coordination, harmonise institutional messaging and translate the objectives of the newly adopted strategy and policy into practical actions.
The initiative is expected to support regional integration efforts and advance the objectives of the ECOWAS Vision 2050 through more coordinated, consistent and effective communication across the Community’s institutions.
In his opening remarks, the Director of Communication at the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Joel Ahofodji, underscored the strategic role of communication in promoting regional integration and bringing the organisation closer to citizens across West Africa.
He described the workshop as a critical step towards moving from the adoption of the communication policy and strategy to their effective implementation.
Mr Ahofodji stressed the importance of translating the policy’s objectives into coordinated activities that would improve communication among ECOWAS institutions and strengthen engagement with the people they serve.
The workshop is also providing a platform for communication officers to share institutional priorities, exchange experiences and identify practical approaches to improving collaboration and aligning messages across ECOWAS bodies and specialized agencies.
The five-year framework, covering 2026 to 2031, is intended to guide communication efforts across the Community’s institutions, helping ensure that information about ECOWAS programmes, policies and regional integration initiatives is communicated in a coherent and coordinated manner.
Effective communication remains an important component of regional integration, particularly in ensuring that citizens understand ECOWAS policies, initiatives and their implications for communities across member states.
The collaboration with GIZ forms part of efforts to support the implementation process and strengthen institutional communication capacity.
The Accra workshop marks the beginning of a practical phase in which ECOWAS institutions are expected to work towards translating the strategy and policy into coordinated communication activities in support of the organization’s regional integration agenda and Vision 2050.
