Freetown, Sierra Leone , October 12, 2026 (ECA) - The Subregional Office for West Africa of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with the Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, will convene the twenty-ninth session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts (ICSOE) for West Africa from 28 to 30 October 2026 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in a hybrid format.
The meeting will be held under the theme “Unlocking the potential of young people in West Africa: pathways to employment, economic transformation and resilience”. It will bring together representatives and experts from the 15 countries of the West African subregion, alongside regional and international institutions, development partners, private sector and civil society stakeholders, to discuss major development priorities and identify action-oriented solutions.
West Africa’s youthful population presents a significant opportunity to accelerate inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. In 2025, 61.1 per cent of the subregion’s population was under the age of 25. However, persistent structural challenges, including limited economic diversification, low industrialization, skills gaps and the predominance of informal employment, continue to constrain productive employment and the realization of the region’s demographic potential.
Against this backdrop, the 29th session will examine structural constraints to economic transformation and job creation and explore practical policy options to harness the demographic advantage of West Africa as a driver of inclusive growth, resilience and sustainable development.
Discussions will focus on strengthening youth employment, economic diversification, human capital development and resilience to external shocks. It will also explore how industrial development, regional value chains, digitalization, innovation and effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can accelerate structural transformation.
As a statutory deliberative body of ECA, the ICSOE will review the results and future work programme of the ECA Subregional Office for West Africa. It will also facilitate the exchange of country experiences, good practices and lessons learned. The session is expected to identify specific measures to leverage the potential of young people and adopt a draft report for consideration by the 2027 session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org