As statutory deliberative bodies of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the intergovernmental committees of senior officials and experts oversee the interventions of the corresponding subregional offices of ECA, the work of which is one component of the annual programme plan that is adopted by the General Assembly. Within the ECA strategic framework and mission to generate ideas and actions for a prosperous Africa, the Intergovernmental Committee for each of the five subregions holds annual meetings to discuss the results, upcoming work programme and strategic orientations of the respective subregional office as they relate to the development priorities of the countries of the subregion.
The Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts for West Africa will hold its twenty-ninth session in Freetown and online from 28 to 30 October 2026 under the theme “Unlocking the potential of young people in West Africa: pathways to employment, economic transformation and resilience”.
Representatives and experts from the 15 countries that constitute the West African subregion will discuss major sustainable development issues, share good practices and devise action-oriented solutions to the challenges faced by the subregion, which will then be shared with national and local governments, members of ECA and other development entities. The outcome of the session will be presented during the 2027 session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for review and decision.