The ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, chaired the Annual meeting of the steering committee of the project “Global transformation of forests for populations and the climate: A focus on West Africa,” which took place on May 7 to 8, 2024, in Banjul – The Gambia.
The meeting was followed by a field visit to the Mansakonko region on May 9, 2024. During this visit, members of the project steering committee explored the community initiative “Grassroots Adaptation interventions for climate change effects (GRACE)” implemented by the NGO Freedom From Hunger Campaign in the Lower River Region, supported by the project. The initiative aims to protect and restore the mangrove ecosystem.
The project is crucial for the implementation of the ECOWAS Convergence Plan for the Sustainable Management and Use of Forest Ecosystems in West Africa. This plan was adopted by ECOWAS’s 15 member states - Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
The main objective of the project is to enhance decision-making on forests and land management across West Africa. It specifically addresses issues such as forest cover and biodiversity loss, transboundary challenges, and support for local livelihoods.
Representatives from the 15 ECOWAS member countries will assess and approve the 2023 Annual Report and the 2024 Annual Work Plan. Discussions will revolve around the planned activities for 2024 and the validation of the 2024 budget.
This is a five-year project funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and implemented with the assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
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