This week, the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) is part of a delegation including OXFAM in Ghana, Oxfam in Nigeria, Media Foundation for West Africa(MFWA) & West African Youth Alliance – WAYA in Abuja to engage with the ECOWAS-CEDEAO & ECOWAS Parliament.
Importantly, FOSDA’s discussion focused on youth participation in decision making processes at the regional level through the proposed ECOWAS Youth Parliament (EYP) Initiative.

• The delegation met with the outgoing Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), Ambassador Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah.
• The delegation also engaged key officers of the Political Affairs, Peace and Security Directorate as well as the Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission.
• The new Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Parliament, Dr. Dédou Pagnamsi Hemou and Senior Management were also engaged on the EYP.

These engagements has provided opportunities for deeper reflections on areas of collaboration and cooperation on the work of CSOs in general and the EYP in particular. FOSDA is open and willing to collaborate with CSOs in West Africa to move the campaign for the EYP to the next level and briong to reality the spaces for meaningful youth participation in regional level decision making.