H.E. Damtien Tchintchibidja, Vice-President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, on April 29, 2025, in Accra, Ghana, said that ECOWAS is considering the creation of a mentoring and apprenticeship network in West Africa to connect young people in the region with African entrepreneurs as part of Human Capital Development and youth underemployment.
In the address by the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, read by Mr. Ruben Johnson, Coordinator of the ECOWAS “Human Capital Development” program, at the opening of the Youth Conference on the Development of an Economically Inclusive and Peaceful West Africa, taking place from April 29 to 30, 2025, in the Ghanaian capital, it was mentioned that the Regional Organization is exploring various strategies to address the challenge of unemployment and underemployment faced by young people in the West African sub-region.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the pressing reality that many young people in our region are struggling to find meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities, so it is incumbent on us to devise comprehensive strategies to create pathways for our young people to enter the job market, contribute their talents and realize their full potential,” she said.
“ECOWAS is ready to engage with its partners in pursuing the human capital development agenda, with increased resources allocated to youth support activities,” she added.
For the Ghana Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, H.E. George Opare Addo, stakeholders must strengthen their collaboration to foster an ecosystem that promotes youth empowerment and human capital development in the ECOWAS sub-region. He stressed that collective effort would help find sustainable and inclusive solutions to support youth development, ensuring that no young person is left behind.
The conference, organized by ECOWAS in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Youth and Development as part of the sub-regional organization’s 50th anniversary celebrations, is a cornerstone of the broader ECOWAS Human Capital Development Strategy launched in 2021, which supports member states in designing national human capital development plans. It reinforces ECOWAS’s vision of moving from an “ECOWAS of States” to an “ECOWAS of Peoples”.
Over 250 participants are taking part, including representatives of the Ghanaian government, educators, business leaders, young people from ECOWAS member states, specialized ECOWAS agencies such as the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Program, as well as participants from the Directorates and Programs of the Office of the Vice-President, and observers from the Early Warning System.
The aim of this major regional conference is to discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding the active participation of young people in the region’s development, with particular reference to unemployment and underemployment in West Africa. Several relevant themes will be addressed, including (i) identifying the causes and factors of youth unemployment and the impact of their instrumentalization, (ii) showcasing successful youth initiatives and enterprises, (iii) exploring financing and innovation opportunities such as the ECOWAS Human Capital Development (HCD) Catalytic Investment Fund initiative.
In addition, participants will discuss (a) the role of technology in creating job opportunities and solving employment problems, (b) advocacy strategy for reforms to align education with labor market needs and highlight effective continuing education programs, (c) encouraging youth participation in civic activities and promoting active citizenship.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).