# West African regional resilience initiatives > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/west-african-regional-resilience-initiatives > Updated: 2026-09-30T05:42:00.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2. In West Africa, experts and officials are calling for increased proactive investment to strengthen regional infrastructure against various crises. Medical laboratory scientists meeting in Lome, Togo, warned that weakening health systems have left the region vulnerable to future disease outbreaks. Experts urged governments to invest in diagnostic capacities and disease detection to avoid the devastation seen during previous Ebola and COVID-19 epidemics. Kossi Kabo, co-chair of the congress, emphasized that the region “shouldn’t wait for an epidemic to emerge somewhere before responding.” Similarly, education officials at the ACCELERATE+ conference in Accra, Ghana, advocated for resilient education systems. They highlighted that investing in risk analysis, contingency planning, and safe infrastructure is more cost-effective than rebuilding after climate shocks, conflicts, or health emergencies. Officials stressed the importance of data-driven approaches and strengthening local capacity to ensure stability during disruptions. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-30: West African officials urge investment in resilient education systems West African education officials are calling for proactive investment in resilient school systems and evidence-based responses to mitigate learning disruptions caused by conflict, climate, and health crises. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/west-african-officials-urge-investment-in-resilient-education-systems ### 2026-09-18: West African scientists warn of weakening health systems West African scientists are warning that weakening health systems and declining investment in diagnostic capacities leave the region vulnerable to future disease outbreaks. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/west-african-scientists-warn-of-weakening-health-systems --- Cite as: West African regional resilience initiatives. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/west-african-regional-resilience-initiatives