The ECOWAS Representation in Cabo Verde conducted its first Annual Retreat from February 4 to 6, 2026, in Ribeirão Chiqueiro. The event aimed to strengthen the office’s strategic alignment and consolidate its regional agenda for the year.
Chaired by Acting Resident Representative Kelly Lopes, the retreat gathered all staff members of the ECOWAS Office and some personnel from CEREEC, who participate through a pooling arrangement. The main purpose was to review recent activities and define strategic and operational priorities for 2026. The retreat also focused on team cohesion and improving internal coordination mechanisms, including collaboration with ECREEE.
During the meeting, participants reviewed activities related to the ECOWAS Golden Jubilee celebrations. These included conferences, media programs, fairs, school-based awareness efforts, and initiatives carried out with civil society organizations.
The annual activity plan and budget for 2026 were presented at the retreat. The plan is organized around four pillars: diplomatic coordination, social awareness, institutional celebration, and internal capacity strengthening. Planned actions include meetings with diplomats from ECOWAS Member States residing in Cabo Verde; activities to prevent gender-based violence and protect children’s rights; events marking the 51st Anniversary of ECOWAS; and regular internal review sessions.
Strategic partnerships are planned with government institutions, civil society groups, and community platforms to reinforce the office’s role as a key interlocutor for ECOWAS in Cabo Verde. Capacity-building initiatives on human rights and educational campaigns targeting schools are part of efforts to promote inclusion, social protection, and human development within the regional agenda.
At the close of proceedings, Acting Resident Representative Kelly Lopes stated: “The Retreat constituted an important milestone in the institutional maturation of the Office, reaffirming ECOWAS’s determination in Cabo Verde to continue playing an active and visible role in promoting the Organisation’s values, policies, and priorities throughout 2026.”
ECOWAS works to advance cooperation among member states by harmonizing policies across sectors such as trade, transport, agriculture, infrastructure development and social policy. Its programs cover twelve West African countries but aim for broader regional impact through unified economic frameworks like common external tariffs (official website). The organization is led by a president supported by a vice president and commissioners (official website). In recent years it has increased transparency through measures such as launching a multilingual website (official website).