Prime minister Ousmane Sonko of Senegal presides over the opening ceremony of the first edition of the west African festival of arts and culture (ECOFEST 2025) in Dakar

On Sunday, 30 November 2025, the City of Dakar, host of the event, welcomed the official launch of the first edition of the West African Festival of Arts and Culture. The opening ceremony was held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Ousmane Sonko. Jointly organized by the ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions, in partnership with the Republic of Senegal, the initiative gives concrete expression to a project conceived nearly thirty-eight years ago, aimed at strengthening regional integration through arts and culture.

In his address, the Mayor of Dakar, Abass Fall, recalled Senegal’s legendary hospitality, described as the “Land of Arts and Culture,” and highlighted Dakar’s plural identity as a “cosmopolitan, lively and vibrant city.” He underscored ECOFEST’s vocation as a bridge between West African peoples and as a platform dedicated to the promotion of talents that shape the cultural vitality of the region.

For his part, Prime Minister H.E. Ousmane Sonko recalled that the Festival seeks to promote integration, social cohesion, peace and development through culture. This ambition is fully aligned with the resolve of the Government of Senegal to make culture a pillar of economic and social development, as well as an essential vector of sovereignty.

Delivering her message on behalf of Dr. Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr commended the leadership of the President of the Republic of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, for his commitment to culture and sub-regional integration. She also extended her gratitude to the President of the UEMOA Commission, Abdoulaye Diop, for his decisive role in the realization of ECOFEST. She further paid glowing tribute to the artists, creators, religious and traditional leaders who embody the living memory of the peoples of West Africa.

Anchored in ECOWAS Vision 2050 – “An ECOWAS of the Peoples: Peace and Prosperity for All” – the Festival highlights culture as a key lever for social cohesion, lasting peace and inclusive development. In a regional context marked by political and security crises, the chosen theme, “Political Mutations and Crises in West Africa: What Can Culture Do?” invites reflection on the role of the arts as spaces for expression, resilience and the reconstruction of social bonds. ECOWAS recalled that culture has always been at the heart of the dynamics of resistance and renewal, from the great West African empires to the present day.

The ceremony was enhanced by performances from renowned artists: Sidiki Diabaté (Mali), Ismaël Lô (Senegal), Solange Cesarovna (Cabo Verde) and Gyakie (Ghana). Through the subtle notes of the kora, traditional dances and powerful voices that resonated within the Grand Théâtre Doudou N’Diaye Coumba Rose, the audience and officials shared a moment of deep emotion and artistic communion.

ECOFEST 2025 will run until 6 December, featuring a rich programme of exhibitions, concerts, performances, professional meetings, workshops and cultural exchanges. This first edition seeks to showcase the diversity of artistic expressions from a region of multiple identities, united by a shared cultural heritage.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).