ABUJA, NIGERIA – Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow-Nyanti has confirmed that Liberia is now going to be the hosting place of one of ECOWAS’ specialized agencies—ECOWAS Youth & Sports Development Center (EYSDC).
Madam Nyanti, who is Liberia’s Chief Diplomat, posted on her Facebook page Thursday, June 19: “It is now official at 8:06pm Nigerian time. The ECOWAS Council of Ministers just approved Liberia as the host of the ECOWAS Youth & Sports Development Centre (EYSDC).”
ECOWAS/YSDC is a specialized agency of the Economic Community of West African States with responsibility for youth and sports in the West-African sub-region. This is a permanent institutional framework within the community through which youth and sporting activities can be developed and promoted in order to ensure youth commitment in the integration process.
Since its setup for the regional bloc, the Center had been homed in Burkina Faso before that West African nation and two others in the same sub-region, decided to pull out of the West African Economic Community.
The 28 Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held in Accra on 19th January 2005, took the Decision (A/DEC/13/01/05) to transform the Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports to the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (ECOWAS/YSDC).
The Center is mandated to initiate, develop, coordinate, monitor and implement programs concerning youth and sports development within the Community.
BACKGROUND
As background, Liberia had expressed interest in hosting three of four ECOWAS institutions namely, West Africa Health Organization (WAHO); ECOWAS Youth & Sports Development Centre (EYSDC) and Water Resources Coordination Centre (WRCC) previously located in Member States that have exited the regional bloc.
Of the 12 countries eligible to bid, Côte d’Ivoire was selected to host WAHO, Guinea will host the WRCC, and Guinea-Bissau the RAHC. Liberia’s selection as host of the EYSDC marks a significant achievement in its regional engagement and diplomacy.
Foreign Minister Nyanti, who broke the news, is attending, along with Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan and others, the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES), taking place from June 20–21, 2025, in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
ECOWAS SUMMIT
According to the Executive Mansion, the Summit brings together Heads of State, senior government officials, private sector leaders, and development partners from across the region to explore strategies for accelerating trade, investment, and regional integration. The summit is a key platform for shaping policies and partnerships that promote sustainable economic growth, job creation, and industrial development across West Africa.
“President Boakai is scheduled to address the WAES Forum, where he will articulate Liberia’s vision for economic transformation and present investment opportunities in critical sectors such as agriculture, energy, infrastructure, tourism, and digital innovation.
“He will also hold a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with fellow regional leaders, investors, and institutions to advance Liberia’s development agenda and secure meaningful economic partnerships. “The WAES is being convened in fulfillment of a commitment made by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his chairmanship of ECOWAS in 2023 to organize a special summit focused on trade and investment in the region. The forum will culminate in the ECOWAS Summit of Heads of State and Government on Sunday, June 22, where leaders will deliberate on pressing regional issues including economic cooperation, peace and security, and sustainable development.”
