Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is exploring European disaster management practices to strengthen West Africa’s capacity to detect emerging threats, coordinate emergency responses and mobilise relief resources across the region.

The move followed a five-day study visit to Germany and Belgium, where ECOWAS officials and disaster management experts examined how European institutions coordinate emergency operations, share information and deploy assistance when disasters strike.

The visit, held from October 12 to 16, is expected to inform efforts to strengthen the ECOWAS Emergency Operations Centre (EDOC) and establish a regional cooperation and solidarity mechanism for disaster preparedness and response.

The initiative comes under a European Union-funded project, Strengthening Disaster Preparedness and Early Warning Systems in West Africa, implemented by the ECOWAS Commission with technical support from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

Led by the Acting Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Mohammed Ibrahim, the delegation included representatives of national disaster management agencies and hydrometeorological services from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo.

Officials from Nigeria’s National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) also participated.

A major focus of the visit was how technology could improve the region’s ability to identify disaster risks before they escalate.