The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to supporting Member States in building resilience against climate shocks, protecting vulnerable populations, and reducing the risks associated with extreme weather events that are becoming increasingly frequent due to climate change.
As part of its humanitarian Monitoring and Evaluation mission to Guinea Bissau, the ECOWAS delegation on 5th September, 2025, concluded its 5 day assessment mission with the evaluation of the progress in the implementation of ECOWAS humanitarian support initiatives, which aimed not only at ensuring accountability in the delivery of humanitarian assistance but also at identifying opportunities to strengthen resilience and climate adaptation measures across Guinea-Bissau and the broader ECOWAS region.
Under the theme “Build Back Better and Leave No One Behind,” a total of 18,000 beneficiaries—comprising 70% women and 30% men—were identified and supported with food and non-food items. This intervention underscores ECOWAS’ focus on gender-responsive humanitarian action and its commitment to ensuring that vulnerable populations are not excluded from recovery and resilience-building efforts.
The mission concluded with the formal handover of essential disaster management equipment purchased with ECOWAS support, initially mobilized in response to the devastating 2022 floods. This intervention also included provisions for capacity-building initiatives, aimed at reinforcing the technical expertise of Guinea-Bissau’s disaster management agency staff.
In line with this, ECOWAS organized a practical workshop to introduce a newly developed Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) tool designed for Member States. This digital platform enables countries to record and share humanitarian data in real time, facilitating evidence-based decision-making, strengthening data management and analysis, and enhancing regional monitoring of humanitarian interventions.
To bolster disaster preparedness, laptops and a dedicated server were delivered to Guinea-Bissau’s disaster management agency. These tools will support early warning systems and enable faster, more coordinated responses during emergencies—ensuring clarity on what actions to take, when and where to implement them, and who should be engaged. Importantly, the system will also create a centralized database of lessons learned, serving as a resource for other ECOWAS Member States.
During the visit, the delegation met with H.E. Aladje Botche Candé, Minister of Interior and Public Order of Guinea-Bissau, to reiterate ECOWAS’ commitment to supporting Member States and to brief him on the progress made so far. The Minister expressed his country’s readiness to deepen cooperation with ECOWAS, commending the organization for its consistent support in improving living standards, resolving conflicts, promoting peace, and advancing regional trade and integration.
The delegation also visited the Office of the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Guinea-Bissau, where they were warmly received by H.E. Ambassador Ngozi Ukaeje, Discussions centered on strengthening collaboration and mobilizing further support to ensure the effective execution of ECOWAS’ mandate in Guinea-Bissau in overseeing ECOWAS activities and supporting stabilization efforts, including the work of the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMGB).
Through these efforts, ECOWAS continues to demonstrate its solidarity with Member States and its commitment to building a more resilient and integrated West African region capable of withstanding climate and humanitarian challenges.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).