ECOWAS Convenes Cultural Property Meetings in Accra
Regional officials gathered in Ghana to validate a study on private copying remuneration and plan cultural heritage returns.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Cultural
The ECOWAS Directorate of Education, Science and Culture convened two parallel meetings in Accra, Ghana, from November 3 to 5, 2026, following a joint opening ceremony. The sessions covered a validation of a regional study on remuneration for private copying and reprography, and deliberations on returning cultural property.
Why it matters
The meetings aim to protect the interests of creators and rights holders and support cultural and creative industries across the region. They also strengthen cooperation on safeguarding and recovering West Africa's cultural heritage.
The meetings ran for three days, from November 3 to 5, 2026, in Accra. The Regional Committee's work is tied to an action plan covering 2027 through 2031, though no results or figures from the deliberations were reported.
The players
ECOWAS
The Economic Community of West African States is a regional intergovernmental bloc that coordinates economic and cultural cooperation among its member states.
UEMOA
The West African Economic and Monetary Union is a regional body of francophone West African states that promotes economic integration and shared policy.
WIPO
The World Intellectual Property Organization is a United Nations agency that administers international treaties on intellectual property rights.
The details
Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Ghana's minister responsible for tourism, culture and the creative arts, delivered opening remarks after a welcome address by Dr. Roland Kouakou of the ECOWAS Commission. Technical sessions reviewed a study defining a regional strategy for implementing private copying and reprography remuneration across ECOWAS member states.
Timeline
November 3-5, 2026: Validation and Regional Committee meetings held in Accra.
2027-2031: Period covered by the Action Plan for the return of cultural property.
Cultural Context
The ECOWAS study extends the private copying remuneration principles promoted by the World Intellectual Property Organization into a regional strategy for West African member states. WIPO's representative attended the meetings, linking the regional effort to that international framework.
The regional strategy could shape how remuneration for private copying is collected and distributed across ECOWAS states in the future. Creators and rights holders in member countries may see changes to how their copied works are compensated once implementation begins.
The takeaway
Regional coordination on copyright remuneration and cultural heritage recovery signals a shared approach among West African states. Readers interested in creative industries should watch how the 2027-2031 action plan is implemented.
Further reading
Explore more stories in our Cultural section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Africa.
