Critical stakeholders and members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have devised ways to mitigate the effects of disasters in West Africa.
Development Diaries reports that the stakeholders, including heads of civil protection directorates and disaster management agencies, discussed about strengthening response and management of disasters in the region at a four-day workshop in Niamey, Niger.
The 15th consultative meeting of the Regional Committee for Disaster Management in West Africa (GECEAO) was aimed at creating a platform to improve the capacities of national services in charge of civil protection.
The World Bank in a 2010 report revealed that disasters, particularly related to meteorological and hydrological hazards and climate extremes, were increasing across West Africa.
It also stated that the disasters will be aggravated by unplanned and unregulated land use, weak environmental controls, poor enforcement of building standards, urbanisation, and other development-linked factors that increase the vulnerability of people and livelihoods.
According to World Food Programme (WFP), West Africa was hardest-hit by the climate crisis during the flooding situation in 2022.
‘The GECEAO main objective is to create synergy in terms of preparedness and response to emergency situations and harmonise procedures in order to mitigate the effects of disasters and ensure better disaster management in West Africa’, an ECOWAS statement read.
Niger Minister for interior and decentralization, Hamadou Adamou Souley, called on participants to develop an early warning system that can be used as the pool of successful experiences and good practices.
For his part, the Chairman of the GECEAO, Colonel Major Boubacar Bako, highlighted the devastating effects and impact of climate change with floods, drought and erosion being high risks disasters in West Africa.
Photo source: ECOWAS
