ECOWAS AND UEMOA NEGOTIATORS MEET IN ACCRA TO ALIGN PRIORITIES AHEAD OF COP31

West African climate negotiators have gathered in Accra to synchronize regional goals and advance more robust international commitments ahead of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP31, scheduled for November 9, 2026, in Antalya, Turkey. Under the auspices of the ECOWAS Regional Support Group for International Climate Negotiations, the three-day workshop unites representatives from all ECOWAS member states to evaluate recent subsidiary body results, tackle implementation gaps, and forge a cohesive stance prior to COP31.

A focal point of the deliberations is the urgent need to bolster emission reductions to make the 1.5°C warming limit attainable, while also guaranteeing sufficient assistance for climate adaptation and economic growth in West Africa. ECOWAS Resident Ambassador in Ghana, Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, highlighted that the Accra meeting also paves the way for a West African Pavilion at COP31, which will showcase sub-regional projects enhancing climate resilience and sustainable development.

Representatives from Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology, who chaired the meeting, emphasized the criticality of negotiating with a unified voice. Despite being among the least emitters of global greenhouse gases, West Africa is especially susceptible to climate impacts. The summit will conclude with a set of tangible proposals to be forwarded to the wider African Group of Negotiators before COP31 commences in Turkey.