West Africa Steps Up Urban Resilience: AU, ECOWAS & GIZ Equip Cities to Face Climate Risks
By Raymond Enoch
In a decisive move to strengthen local governance against the growing threat of climate-induced urban vulnerabilities, the African Union Commission (AUC), ECOWAS Commission, and the German development agency GIZ convened a second high-level capacity-building workshop on Risk-Informed Urban Development in Accra, Ghana. Held from July 2 to 4, the session marked another significant step under the German-backed Resilience Initiative Africa (RIA), aimed at reinforcing urban resilience across West African cities.
Representatives from thirteen West African cities—including municipal mayors and local planning experts—gathered alongside officials from the AUC, ECOWAS, GIZ, and Ghana’s Ministry of Climate Change and Sustainability. The focus: enhancing the region’s readiness for climate and disaster-related risks by mainstreaming risk assessments and participatory planning into urban development strategies.
Dr. Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs at the ECOWAS Commission, described the workshop as “timely and essential,” noting its strategic relevance in building technical expertise at the local level. “This platform is a critical vehicle for fostering sustainable resilience efforts, especially through our Regional Committee for Disaster Risk Reduction (GECEAO) and the Africa Urban Resilience Programme (AURP),” she stated.
Dr. Ugbe emphasized the necessity of aligning national and regional policies with ground-level technical interventions. She called on local leaders to reframe climate challenges as catalysts for innovation and development, stressing the importance of securing sustainable financing for on-the-ground projects.
Speaking on behalf of the African Union Commission, Dr. Emmanuel Osuteye, Urban Resilience Adviser, noted that risk-informed planning equips cities with the tools to integrate vulnerability and impact analysis directly into decision-making. “We’re shifting urban planning to be proactive, data-driven, and deeply connected to the realities of each city,” he explained. He added that the AURP, developed in collaboration with the UNDP and funded by Sweden, is central to the AU’s urban resilience agenda.
The Government of Ghana reaffirmed its support for the initiative. Represented by Technical Adviser Mr. Cedric Dzelu, Ghana’s Ministry of Climate Change and Sustainability committed to integrating the training outcomes across the country’s Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs). “Urban climate threats carry an economic burden that our governance systems can no longer ignore,” Dzelu remarked, adding that Ghana intends to position climate action at the core of its national development policies.
Also addressing participants, Mrs. Ria Hidajat, Project Manager for the Resilience Initiative Africa at GIZ, highlighted the importance of the regional partnership. “This initiative not only facilitates urban climate risk mapping but also identifies opportunities to mobilize financial resources for resilient infrastructure and planning,” she said. Mrs. Hidajat urged city officials to make the most of the peer-to-peer learning opportunity and transform insights into action at the local level.
The Accra workshop represents the second in a series aimed at building a resilient urban future for West Africa, fostering knowledge exchange among cities grappling with rapid urbanization and increasingly volatile climate conditions. With technical support, political will, and international collaboration in full view, the initiative marks a promising shift toward inclusive, informed, and sustainable urban development across the region.
