Webinar on strengthening regional cooperation mechanisms for disaster preparedness and response in West Africa

Time

10:00-14:00 GMT

Duration: 4 hours

Format: Presentations, panel discussions, and interactive Q&A sessions

Context

West Africa is increasingly exposed to disasters fuelled by climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-economic pressures. These complex risks underscore the urgent need for a coordinated regional approach to disaster preparedness and response.

The ECOWAS Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs (DHSA), at the heart of the region's disaster management architecture, plays a pivotal role in advancing resilience and solidarity among member states. Through its partnership with UNDRR under the project "Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Solidarity to Reduce Disaster Impacts and Humanitarian Needs in West Africa", funded by European Union Humanitarian Aid, the DHSA is working to:

• Strengthen institutional capacities for risk governance and emergency management.
• Promote regional cooperation to ensure collective action in times of crisis.
• Enhance early warning systems and rapid response mechanisms that safeguard lives and livelihoods across West Africa.

This initiative is strategically aligned with the UNDRR-ECOWAS Project aim, and this webinar serves as a practical step in operationalizing this vision. Specifically, the webinar will:

• Operationalize regional cooperation mechanisms, reinforcing ECOWAS's mandate to coordinate disaster response across borders.
• Engage stakeholders at all levels-government agencies, civil society, academia, and communities-to ensure inclusive and sustainable implementation of preparedness frameworks.
• Leverage international expertise by drawing on the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) and its Knowledge Network, the Copernicus Emergency Management Services, and the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). These EU institutions provide tested models, technical know-how, and collaborative platforms that enrich regional practices.
• Bridge African and European expertise, connecting ECOWAS with African DRR centers of excellence to foster a truly global exchange of knowledge and innovation.

By linking ECOWAS DHSA's regional mandate with the UCPM's international experience, the project creates a synergy between local ownership and global solidarity. This ensures that West Africa not only strengthens its disaster preparedness and response capacities but also becomes an active contributor to the global resilience agenda.

This webinar serves as a practical platform to translate the ECOWAS DHSA-UNDRR partnership under the ECHO-funded project into action by operationalizing regional cooperation mechanisms that reinforce ECOWAS's mandate for coordinated disaster response, engaging stakeholders across government, civil society, academia, and communities to ensure inclusive and sustainable preparedness frameworks, and leveraging international expertise from the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), Copernicus Emergency Management Services, and the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC).

Objectives

The webinar will serve as a strategic platform to:

• Promote awareness and understanding of the regional cooperation mechanism for disaster preparedness and response among national, regional, and local stakeholders.
• Facilitate dialogue and feedback to refine the cooperation framework and ensure it reflects the operational realities and priorities of ECOWAS member states.
• Showcase good practices and innovations from global and regional actors, including:
  • European Union institutions such as the UCPM Knowledge Network, Copernicus Emergency Management Services, and the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC)
  • African institutions for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
• Strengthen cross-regional partnerships to foster technical exchange, institutional learning, and capacity building.
• Support the implementation of the DG-ECHO project goal by advancing regional coordination, preparedness planning, and stakeholder engagement.

Expected outcomes

• Strengthened Regional Cooperation: Concrete steps toward operationalizing ECOWAS's regional disaster response mechanisms, ensuring member states can act collectively and efficiently in times of crisis.
• Enhanced Institutional Capacities: Improved technical and organizational readiness of national disaster management agencies, supported by shared tools, training, and frameworks that align with international best practices.
• Inclusive Stakeholder Engagement: Broader participation of governments, civil society, academia, and communities in preparedness planning, fostering ownership and sustainability of disaster risk reduction initiatives.
• Integration of International Expertise: Practical application of knowledge and resources from the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), Copernicus Emergency Management Services, and the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) to enrich regional practices and strengthen interoperability.
• Knowledge Exchange Across Regions: Stronger bridges between African centers of excellence in disaster risk reduction and European institutions, enabling cross-regional learning and innovation.
• Operational Roadmap for Preparedness: A clear set of action points and commitments emerging from the webinar discussions, guiding ECOWAS and its partners in scaling up early warning, preparedness, and emergency response systems.

Target audience

• ECOWAS Commission and affiliated institutions
• National DRR focal points and emergency response agencies
• Experts from EU and African DRR institutions
• Civil society organizations and academic institutions
• UN agencies and development partners