Climate Crisis Threatens Food, Water, Security in West Africa – ECOWAS Commission

The ECOWAS Commission has called for stronger collaboration among member states, national governments, parliaments, civil society, traditional authorities, the private sector, academia and development partners to confront the growing threat of climate change to food security, livelihoods, population stability and peace in West Africa.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, General Birame Diop, said climate change could no longer be treated solely as an environmental concern, warning that its consequences were increasingly affecting development, humanitarian conditions, peace and security across the region.

He made the call in his opening remarks at the Second 2026 Joint Parliamentary Seminar held in Accra on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, on the theme: “Climate Change as a Driver of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Rising Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region.”

The speech was delivered on his behalf by the Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Prof. Nassirou Bako-Arifari.

General Diop said the scale of the climate crisis required a coordinated regional response, with ECOWAS institutions and member states working closely with other stakeholders to strengthen resilience and prevent climate-related crises from escalating into humanitarian and security challenges.

“The theme before us is not simply an environmental issue. It is a development issue, a humanitarian issue, a peace and security issue, and ultimately an issue of human survival and regional stability confronting ECOWAS member states,” he said.

He noted that West Africa remained particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, citing rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, desertification, coastal erosion, floods and the degradation of forests and farmlands as major threats to communities and livelihoods.

According to him, the consequences of these environmental pressures were already placing unprecedented strain on populations and could intensify displacement, competition over natural resources and insecurity if not urgently addressed.

General Diop disclosed that since 2024, the ECOWAS Commission had initiated an ambitious process to establish a regional carbon market platform in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

He said the initiative was intended to help mobilise investments needed to address the region’s climate financing requirements, estimated at $294 billion.

“Climate resilience cannot be achieved through declarations alone. We need predictable domestic and regional resources, while also mobilising international climate finance and strengthening access to available funding mechanisms,” he stated.

The ECOWAS Commission President said the parliamentary seminar provided an important platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing and inter-institutional consultation aimed at developing practical recommendations to strengthen climate resilience, human security and sustainable development across the region.

He stressed that parliamentarians had a critical role to play because they were responsible for shaping legislation, approving national budgets, exercising oversight and serving as a direct link between governments and citizens.

He therefore urged lawmakers across the region to strengthen climate-responsive legislation and oversight, particularly in the areas of environmental protection, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable natural-resource management.

General Diop also called for stronger early-warning and early-action systems, arguing that ECOWAS must move beyond reacting to climate-related disasters towards anticipating and preventing them.

“We must move from reacting to climate-related disasters to anticipating and preventing them. Regional early warning systems should be linked to community-level preparedness and rapid response mechanisms,” he said.

He further advocated the inclusive and sustainable management of land, water, forests and fisheries, stressing that local communities, women, young people and traditional authorities must have meaningful participation in decisions affecting natural resources.

The ECOWAS Commission President also called for greater investment in women and young people as part of efforts to build climate resilience in the region.

“They are not merely victims of climate change. They are innovators, entrepreneurs, community leaders and agents of resilience,” he said, adding that investment in their skills, enterprises and participation was an investment in the future stability of West Africa.

General Diop said the ECOWAS framework provided a critical platform for coordinated regional action and urged member states to strengthen cooperation in climate adaptation, disaster management, food and water security, environmental protection, cross-border resource management and the peaceful management of climate-related mobility.

“We should also strengthen collaboration among ECOWAS institutions, national governments, parliaments, civil society, traditional authorities, the private sector, academia and development partners,” he added.

He called for what he described as a new regional compact on climate resilience and human security, saying the complexity of the challenge required ECOWAS to move away from fragmented responses towards a comprehensive regional strategy.

He argued that the concept of security must be broadened beyond the protection of territorial borders and prevention of armed conflict to include access to food, water, livelihoods, a safe environment and opportunities for a dignified life.

“We must therefore be proactive and invest in resilience before crises occur. We must protect our ecosystems before they become irreversibly degraded. We must create livelihoods before desperation drives communities into displacement. Last but not least, we must address grievances before they become conflict,” General Diop said.

He urged participants to ensure that the seminar produced practical outcomes rather than becoming another forum for discussion.

“Let this Seminar be more than an opportunity to discuss the problem. Let it produce concrete recommendations, stronger legislation, stronger oversight and stronger regional cooperation,” he said.

General Diop said the ultimate objective should be to build an ECOWAS region where climate resilience was integrated into development planning, displacement was managed with dignity and natural resources served as instruments of cooperation rather than sources of conflict.

“Let our efforts continue to advance peace, security, resilience and sustainable development in the ECOWAS Region as ECOWAS transitions from ECOWAS of States to ECOWAS of People and Prosperity for All,” he stated.

He expressed assurance of the ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to working with parliamentarians and other stakeholders to implement recommendations emerging from the seminar and wished participants fruitful deliberations.