Envirronmenral Partnership: ECOWAS, UNEP Forge New Green Deal for 2026–2030 Plan Targets Climate Action.

By Raymond Enoch.

In a decisive step toward regional climate resilience and environmental sustainability, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a fresh round of high-level talks with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), aimed at redefining environmental priorities and solidifying strategic partnerships for the 2026–2030 period.

Held from September 10 to 12, 2025, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the consultative workshop brought together key stakeholders from across the region — including national environmental agencies, technical consultants, UNEP experts, and major financial partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID).

The three-day workshop focused on identifying urgent regional environmental challenges and areas ripe for coordinated action, while paving the way for a renewed ECOWAS–UNEP cooperation framework. Central to the agenda was the mobilization of both domestic and international financing to fund critical environmental initiatives — with particular emphasis on accessing Climate Funds, Environment Funds, and private sector capital.

“This is not just another consultation; it is a strategic pivot,” said one senior ECOWAS official. “We are aligning ourselves with global best practices, identifying shared goals with UNEP, and moving toward concrete joint activities that will shape the environmental future of our region.”

Participants engaged in rigorous discussions to define shared priorities — from sustainable land management and biodiversity conservation to pollution control and climate adaptation. Importantly, the workshop also outlined pathways for scaling up resource mobilization, recognizing that financial viability remains a cornerstone for effective environmental governance.

Technical contributions from the AGRHYMET Regional Centre and other partners enriched the dialogue, offering data-driven insights and practical frameworks to support the regional transition toward sustainability.

The renewed partnership between ECOWAS and UNEP — expected to be formally ratified before the end of 2025 — is set to be a blueprint for regional cooperation in the face of escalating climate threats and environmental degradation.

With the clock ticking toward 2030 climate targets, this Abidjan workshop may well be remembered as a turning point for West Africa’s environmental future.