The ECOWAS Commission, through its Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, is hosting a regional meeting from August 6 to 8 in Abidjan. The purpose of the gathering is to establish a standardized regional carbon market in West Africa as part of the Regional Climate Strategy implementation. The workshop aims to lay the groundwork for this market by engaging stakeholders and analyzing foundational documents.
Ms. Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, emphasized that the initiative seeks to leverage financing opportunities linked to carbon credit transactions in West Africa. “The carbon market being one of the financial instruments under the Paris Agreement,” she stated, urging experts and representatives from Member States to support the process.
Mr. Parfait KOUADIO, Director of Cabinet at the Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, represented Minister Jacques Konan Assahoré at the event’s opening ceremony. He praised ECOWAS Commission’s initiative and stressed that Africa’s current vulnerability should prompt collective action and regional solidarity.
The workshop includes participation from Member States, carbon market experts, international technical and financial partners such as USAID, Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings, International Emissions Trading Association, Rabobank, Clean Valley Capital, Be Zero Carbon, Africa Energy Transition Services; along with regional institutions like UEMOA Commission, AGRHYMET Regional Center, WASCAL, BOAD, WAPP, ERERA, ARAA.
