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ECOWAS regional response to climate change and migration

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2026-09-26 23:22 UTC → 2026-09-27 02:09 UTC · added ~~removed~~

During the Second Extraordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament in Accra, Ghana, regional leaders and experts expanded on the escalating threats posed by climate change in West Africa. ECOWAS Commission President General Birame Diop, represented by Commissioner Prof. Nassirou Bako-Arifari, warned that climate change, environmental degradation, and insecurity could displace nearly 32 million people in the region by 2050. The crisis is already manifesting; in 2024, climate-related disasters displaced over two million people and flooding affected more than seven million, damaging homes, schools, and roads. Between 2025 and 2026, the combined effects of climate change and insecurity displaced over 12 million people across West and Central Africa, with women and children making up 80% of those affected. To mitigate these impacts, officials estimated a requirement of approximately $294 billion in climate financing. ECOWAS is pursuing the establishment of a regional carbon market platform under the Paris Agreement to mobilize such investment. In subsequent sessions, the ECOWAS Parliament expanded its focus to include irregular migration. Following a mission to Senegal, the Parliament adopted a resolution advocating for strengthened reintegration mechanisms for repatriated migrants, including professional training, psychosocial support, and access to financing to combat social stigma. Additionally, President Hadja Mémounatou Ibrahima urged member states to better implement and fund regional strategies, noting that more effort is required to translate commitments into concrete actions against threats like coastal erosion, flooding, and desertification. At the Second 2026 Parliamentary Seminar, lawmakers further warned that climate change is evolving into a major security and governance challenge. They noted that shrinking water resources and degraded farmland are fueling competition for land, aggravating farmer-herder conflicts and deepening poverty.

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