West Africa must put youth employment at the heart of economic transformation, ECA urges

West African governments must place youth employment at the centre of their economic transformation strategies, connecting investment in human capital with productive opportunities, industrial development and regional economic integration, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has urged.

The call was made at the opening of the twenty-ninth session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts for West Africa (ICSOE), held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from 28 to 30 October 2026, in a hybrid format. The session is organised by ECA’s Subregional Office for West Africa (ECA/SRO-WA), in collaboration with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.

Held under the theme “Unlocking the potential of young people in West Africa: pathways to employment, economic transformation and resilience”.

The meeting brings together representatives of the 15 countries of the subregion, alongside regional and international institutions (including ECOWAS), development partners, private-sector representatives, civil society organizations and other experts.

During the opening the session, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Kenyeh Barlay spoke on behalf of Sierra Leone. She called on participating countries to translate the meeting’s deliberations into measurable commitments to empower young people.

During her Opening Statement, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development also offered the following statement: “I call on this session to produce an action-oriented Freetown Declaration on Youth Empowerment in West Africa with short, clear and measurable targets, that commits our governments, our institutions and our partners to concrete steps for the young people of West Africa.

Sierra Leone is ready to lead by example, and we will announce our own commitment on the second day. We therefore invite every Member State to do the same”.

In her remarks, Ngone Diop, Director of ECA’s Subregional Office for West Africa, underscored the scale of the region’s demographic opportunity and the urgency of creating an economic environment in which young people can contribute fully to development.

“In 2026, an estimated 60.9% of West Africa’s population is under 25 years of age. Here in Sierra Leone, the proportion is approximately 57.8%. These figures represent an extraordinary source of human potential, innovation and productive capacity,” she said.

“These realities point to a fundamental policy imperative.

We must move beyond addressing youth employment as a stand-alone challenge and place it at the centre of our economic transformation strategies. Unlocking the potential of youth requires us to connect investment in people with the transformation of our economies,” she added.

Diop emphasised that the region’s youthful population can become a powerful engine of development if supported by policies that expand access to relevant skills, productive employment, entrepreneurship and economic opportunities.

This requires stronger alignment between education and labour-market needs, greater investment in productive sectors and more effective regional cooperation to create opportunities at scale.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Ms. Seraphine Wakana, highlighted the importance of sustained collaboration among governments, regional institutions and development partners in advancing practical solutions to the region’s development challenges.

The RC stated that “Over the coming days, this forum provides an invaluable opportunity for dialogue, reflection and action. It offers a platform for governments, regional institutions, development partners, academia, civil society and the private sector to exchange experiences and identify practical solutions.

I encourage all participants to engage openly and constructively. Let us use this session not only to assess challenges, but also to advance concrete recommendations and partnerships that can accelerate progress across the region. Let us move from aspiration to implementation. From discussion to action. And from isolated initiatives to transformative, coordinated responses.”

As the deliberations continue in Freetown, participants are expected to identify actionable recommendations and strengthen partnerships to ensure that West Africa’s demographic potential translates into productive employment, economic resilience and improved livelihoods.

The overarching challenge is clear: continue to recognize young people as the region’s greatest asset and also to go further by establishing the policies, institutions and productive opportunities that will enable them to drive West Africa’s transformation.

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