The ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC), led by its Director, Ms. Sandra OULATÉ FATTOH, conducted a technical working visit to the African Development Bank (AfDB) on September 15, 2026, in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. This high-level meeting brought together officials from the Bank’s Regional Integration, Climate Change, and Gender Departments. The main objective of this mission was to present the EGDC’s new flagship projects and to explore opportunities for technical, financial, and institutional cooperation that could support their implementation at the regional level.

This initiative comes at a time when ECOWAS is strengthening its strategic priorities in support of gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, climate resilience, and regional integration. Faced with growing challenges related to climate change, persistent economic inequalities, and the financing needs of women-led initiatives, the EGDC has undertaken to develop innovative regional programs that require enhanced support from technical and financial partners.

The AfDB expressed strong interest in the various projects presented by the EGDC, including the regional program “Gender-Sensitive Climate Action and the Green Economy in West Africa,” the “50 Million African Women Have a Voice” Platform, the CCDG Digital Ecosystem, projects related to the care economy and the construction of manufacturing units for reusable sanitary pads and diapers, as well as the ECOWAS Legacy Project on political participation and leadership of women and youth in West Africa. The AfDB also reaffirmed its commitment to integrated approaches that combine gender, climate resilience, and sustainable development.

Furthermore, the AfDB expressed particular interest in the regional program on gender-sensitive climate action and the green economy, for which it proposed to support the official launch at the upcoming Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP31) through its African Pavilion.

The parties agreed on several priority actions, including finalizing the regional “Gender-Sensitive Climate Action and Green Economy” program, providing the Bank with detailed technical documentation, establishing a joint AfDB-EGDC committee, exploring opportunities offered by the AFAWA and Youth Adapt programs and various climate funds, and preparing for the program’s official launch at COP31.

This technical visit marks an important step in strengthening cooperation between the EGDC and the AfDB. Both institutions expressed their shared commitment to transforming these exchanges into sustainable operational partnerships in support of inclusive development and regional resilience.