A four-day strategic retreat and capacity-building workshop for communication officers across the ECOWAS Commission, Institutions, and Agencies has officially kicked off in Banjul. Organized by the ECOWAS Directorate of Communication in partnership with GIZ, the workshop aims to upskill participants in strategic, digital, and impact-driven communication practices, while paving the way for the formulation of a robust ECOWAS Communication Strategy aligned with the regional bloc’s Vision 2050.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Abdou Kolley, Director of Cabinet at the Office of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, hailed the retreat as a pivotal moment in the institution’s communications evolution.
“This retreat builds on the foundations laid during our last Communications Retreat in Lagos in 2024. We now move into a new phase—developing a comprehensive ECOWAS Communication Strategy that fully embodies the goals and aspirations of Vision 2050,” Kolley stated.
In a goodwill message, the German Ambassador to The Gambia, H.E. Klaus Botzet, reiterated the retreat’s significance in driving the ECOWAS integration agenda through enhanced communication.
Declaring the retreat officially open on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission President, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, the ECOWAS Resident Representative in The Gambia, H.E. Miatta Lily French, described the gathering as “a strategic turning point, not just a training workshop.”
“This is a moment to re-imagine, re-examine, and recalibrate how ECOWAS communicates to the world,” she said, emphasizing the role of innovative communication in shaping the bloc’s image and global presence.
The retreat is expected to culminate in a renewed communications roadmap that strengthens ECOWAS’s visibility, impact, and integration goals across West Africa and beyond.
