From August 26 to 29, 2025, the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) organized a staff retreat in Saly, Senegal. The event was led by the Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission.
The main objective of the retreat was to enhance staff skills in using the new Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) template. This training aimed to align EGDC’s budget documents with the updated framework and assist in drafting the Centre’s budget for 2026–2028.
Participants also worked on developing and validating EGDC’s fourth quarter work plan and reviewed its third quarter performance report for 2025. The sessions included discussions on challenges and opportunities anticipated for 2026 through 2028.
Attendees included EGDC staff, members from GIABA/EGDC Pooling, and representatives from the Directorate of Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of the ECOWAS Commission. The retreat provided an opportunity for strategic reflection, dialogue, and efforts to improve internal coordination.
During the opening ceremony, specialists from the Directorate of Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation highlighted that involving all stakeholders in planning demonstrates management’s commitment to collaborative development. The Director of EGDC thanked GIABA and the Directorate for their technical support with the new budgetary framework. She stated: “She stressed that the exercise is crucial, not only for ensuring compliance with rules and procedures, but also for preparing for budget arbitration.”