The ECOWAS Commission is currently developing its regional climate strategy for COP26 with the support of the Intra-ACP GCCA+ West Africa Programme. In this regard, ECOWAS organised a first regional consultation workshop to build synergies around regional climate ambitions in the West African region. Stakeholders of regional institutions, member states and representatives of sectors directly or indirectly impacted by climate change participated in this workshop.
The strategy would be validated by the ECOWAS interdepartmental steering committee first, before it is submitted for wider consultations amongst the 15 Member States, regional organisations (WAEMU, CILSS, etc.), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), private sector, and technical and financial partners and before its final validation at the Specialised Ministerial Technical Committee[1] in October 2021 in Accra.
Furthermore, ECOWAS also organised from 22 to 24 June 2021, the regional workshop for ECOWAS climate negotiators, during which the region’s main priorities and key issues for consideration at future negotiating sessions, including COP26, were inter alia identified.
It is also worth noting that in collaboration with the Intra-ACP GCCA+ West Africa Programme, the ECOWAS Commission has also set up a Regional Advisory Group for Climate International Negotiations (RAG-CLIN)[2] to support West African negotiators on the issues related to the 2021 negotiations and pertinent to their region. This is in order to promote the emergence of common West African positions to be carried within the Africa Group. In addition to the preparatory activities for COP26, the Regional Support Group for International Climate Negotiations (RAG-CLIN)[3] will be present at COP26 and will provide “live” support to West African negotiators to decipher the progress of the negotiations while promoting common positions for the benefit of the region.
ECOWAS intends to present its regional climate strategy at COP26 and in this context it will have a pavilion to promote West African initiatives.
[1] In French : Comité Technique Ministériel Spécialisé (CTMS)
[2] In French : Groupe Régional d’Appui aux Négociations Internationales sur le Climat (GRANIC)
[3] In French : Groupe Régional d’Appui aux Négociations Internationales sur le Climat (GRANIC)
