From Bridget C. Onochie and Sandra Chukwugekwu
As the 2026 Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament ended on Saturday, the regional legislators urged member states to strengthen implementation and financing of climate policies to tackle environmental degradation, population displacement and insecurity in the region.
Lawmakers had in a weeklong meeting, critically appraised the menace of climate change in the region, which includes environmental degradation, population displacement and insecurity.
In her closing remarks, Speaker of the Parliament, Honourable Memounatou Ibrahima, said the institution’s credibility would depend on translating its decisions into concrete actions with measurable impact on the populations it represents.
She said: “Our credibility will depend therefore on our ability to transform our decisions into concrete actions, which will be measurable and have impact on the populations that we represent.”
“We will try to reconcile the legitimate ambitions of our institution with the demands of management of resources which are always being under reduction, but we must consider the quality of our deliberations. Our ambition is very clear – to revive the parliament and share the concerns of the citizens,” she added.
She added that the Parliament will continue to focus on regional priorities such as infrastructure, transport, energy, peace and security, communities and greater participation of women in politics, stressing that recommendations adopted by the body must be followed through and measured by their ability to influence public policies and community action.
Noting that West Africa already has strategies and instruments to address its challenges, she however stressed the need for stronger implementation and funding.
“Our region doesn’t lack strategies nor instruments. What it requires is the funding and political will to implement them and translate them into visible and tangible assets for the populations,” she said.
Before adjourning the session, she commended her colleagues, especially those of the Ghana Parliament for their constant availability throughout the session.
“We are leaving here with our heads high and henceforth; we must concretize our decisions to answer to the aspirations of the population. So, I hereby declare the Second Extraordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament closed,” she announced.
Presenting the summary of resolution from the seminar earlier, Guinean Member of Parliament, Bademba Baldé, said the deliberations focused on strengthening parliamentary leadership in addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, population displacement and insecurity.
He said the discussions covered vulnerability mapping, early-warning systems, water resources, displacement governance and climate financing while five ECOWAS member states, including Nigeria, presented their national experiences.
Mr Baldé said the region already had relevant frameworks but identified effective implementation, financing and national ownership as major challenges.
He also described quality data, vulnerability mapping and early-warning systems as indispensable to addressing climate-related risks.
According to him, access to climate finance constrains project preparation and the need for innovative and transparent financing mechanisms.
Admitting that the Parliament has an important role to play in monitoring financing and promoting the participation of women, young people, displaced persons and farmers, he held that climate financing must consider peace, human mobility and social protection.
The recommendations presented by Mr Baldé called on member states to strengthen laws and policies on environmental protection, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable management of natural resources.
Member countries are equally urged to integrate climate resilience, conflict prevention and sustainable natural-resource management into development plans, public budgets and land-use planning.
The recommendations call for stronger national systems for climate data collection, early warning and risk mapping, with climate information integrated into disaster preparedness and security responses.
Member states are consequently encouraged to mobilise national, regional and international resources for climate financing and to strengthen capacity for project preparation, feasibility studies and financial structuring.
The Parliament also called for greater protection and restoration of forests, mangroves, degraded land and coastal ecosystems alongside wider adoption of resilient agriculture, agroforestry and improved water management.
The recommendations further seek effective mechanisms to prevent and resolve conflicts linked to access to land, water and pastoral resources in addition to gradual harmonisation of national legal frameworks covering environmental protection, transhumance, natural-resource management and climate-related disaster prevention.
It proposed credible carbon-market frameworks based on transparency, integrity, verification and equitable sharing of benefits with affected communities while ECOWAS Heads of State and Government is to consider establishing a regional fund for climate resilience and human security.
Meanwhile, ECOWAS Commission is expected to develop a five-year roadmap for accelerated implementation of the regional climate strategy aimed at strengthening regional early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms for climate, humanitarian and security risks, regional risk mapping and climate-data systems.
The Parliament also called for increased technical assistance to member states to implement regional climate strategy, improve access to climate funds, stronger cross-border cooperation on pastoral mobility, shared water resources, ecosystem protection and risk prevention.
The Parliament also wants improved dissemination of climate information and early warnings to decision-makers, member states, local authorities, communities and the ECOWAS Parliament.
Technical and financial partners were implored to support member states and regional institutions in climate adaptation, resilience-building and access to international climate-finance mechanisms.
The resolution is to be transmitted to the ECOWAS Commission, the Council of Ministers and Speakers of National Assemblies of member states.