Cotonou: CESE President Calls for Strengthening the Role of Economic and Social Councils in Africa
The President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE), Abdelkader Amara, who also serves as President of the Union of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions of Africa (UCESA), called on Tuesday in Cotonou for strengthening the role of economic and social councils in promoting participatory democracy and civil society diplomacy across Africa.
Speaking at the opening of the first ordinary session of the Economic and Social Council (CES) for the year 2026, held at the invitation of the President of Benin’s CES, Conrad Gbaguidi, Amara praised the major reform undertaken by the Beninese authorities aimed at reinforcing the role of the Economic and Social Council, strengthening its territorial anchoring and bringing it closer to citizens, according to a statement from CESE.
During the ceremony, which was attended by the presidents of constitutional institutions of the Republic of Benin, as well as the presidents of the Economic and Social Councils of Côte d’Ivoire and France, Amara also highlighted the significant contribution of UCESA in promoting organized civil society diplomacy through a unique approach based on the mobilization of data derived from participatory processes, citizen consultations and field studies.
The UCESA president also recalled the importance of initiatives undertaken by the organization to strengthen its alignment with African regional integration agendas, as well as the ongoing process to expand the union following the recent accession of Equatorial Guinea and Angola.
Amara further indicated that UCESA will, in the coming months, focus on the issue of health sovereignty and access to healthcare, stressing the need to address topics aimed at improving societal well-being, promoting shared prosperity and supporting the full development of populations.
On the sidelines of the session, Amara officially presented the country advocacy document on climate action in Benin. The document, the result of a study conducted by UCESA in sixteen African countries, seeks to raise awareness among stakeholders about the climate emergency and the need to strengthen climate governance.
The advocacy promotes the establishment of citizen-centered climate diplomacy built around effective climate justice, inclusive green growth and the development of an African green movement.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of strengthening synergies between consultative institutions and public authorities in order to sustainably support democratic development and ultimately reinforce citizens’ trust in institutions, the statement concluded.
Editorial team/le7tv
