Senegal has kicked off the inaugural edition of ECOFEST, West Africa’s newest major cultural festival, with a strong focus on the role of arts and culture in shaping political transitions across the region. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko launched the event on Sunday at Dakar’s Grand National Theater, marking the beginning of a week filled with exhibitions, film screenings, performances, and policy dialogues.

Jointly organised by ECOWAS, UEMOA, and the Senegalese government, ECOFEST aims to create a regional platform where culture becomes a driver of peacebuilding, integration, social inclusion, and economic exchange. Artists, policymakers, and cultural actors from across West Africa are participating in the festival.

This first edition is themed “Political Change and Crises in West Africa: What Can Culture Do?”—a question that will guide panel discussions and reflections throughout the event. As Abdullahi Hassan reports, organisers believe culture can play a transformative role in conflict prevention, civic engagement, and strengthening regional unity.