ECOWAS participates in COP30 in Brazil to strengthen west africa’s climate action

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission is participating in the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held from 10 to 21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil.

The Commission’s delegation is led by Mr. Yao Bernard Koffi, Acting Director of Environment and Natural Resources, and includes the Director of the Water Resources Management Centre and technical experts from the Directorates of Environment and Free Movement.

With support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and GIZ Nigeria, ECOWAS has established a regional pavilion at COP30 to facilitate dialogue with Member States, Technical and Financial Partners. The pavilion provides a platform to showcase regional initiatives on climate mitigation and adaptation, and to exchange views on the environmental challenges affecting West Africa.

Since its opening on 12 November 2025, the pavilion has hosted a series of thematic engagements featuring youth organisations, regional institutions, and climate experts. Discussions have focused on gender-responsive Nationally Determined Contributions, climate mobility, advances in climate research and service delivery, WASCAL’s 2026-2030 strategic plan, and scientific approaches to anticipating cocoa pests and diseases. Members of the ECOWAS delegation also took part in side events organised at other national pavilions, including those of Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Liberia.

Activities will continue during the second week of the conference with further bilateral and technical meetings. Highlights include the celebration of the Republic of Ghana Day at the ECOWAS Pavilion, a meeting with climate negotiators, a session on water resources within the framework of the NDCs under the Paris Agreement, and an event on ECOWAS initiatives in sustainable forest management.

Through its participation at COP30, the ECOWAS Commission reaffirms its commitment to supporting Member States in addressing climate change and strengthening resilience across West Africa, in line with the aspirations of ECOWAS Vision 2050.