West and Central African environment ministers convened in Lomé, Togo, on October 10, 2024, to address pressing coastal issues such as erosion, biodiversity, and marine protection in the region. The meeting, organized by the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), brought together representatives from several nations and international bodies to coordinate a collective response to environmental challenges.

Togo's Minister of Environment and Forest Resources, Katari Foli-Bazi, chaired the opening ceremony alongside Richard Kangbeni, Togo's Minister of Maritime Economy and Coastal Protection, and Viriato Luis Soares Cassama, Guinea-Bissau's Minister of Environment and Biodiversity.

Also in attendance were Mahamadou Gado, UEMOA's Interim Commissioner for Agriculture, Water Resources, and Environment; Magdalena Pruna, Head of Cooperation for the European Union delegation in Togo; and Kpotivi Kpatagnon Wilson-Bahoun, World Bank representative in Togo.

Ministers from across West and Central Africa, including Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, discussed strategies to combat coastal erosion, pollution, and flooding. Minister Foli-Bazi underscored the success of the West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program (WACA), a joint initiative by UEMOA and the World Bank, calling for a unified response to these growing threats. Commissioner Gado also urged regional collaboration and improved tools to manage the increasingly severe impacts of climate change.

The meeting reviewed progress on regional regulations and initiatives, including the Regional Strategic Investment Action Plan (PARSI), which aims to bolster the resilience of coastal communities. The gathering culminated in the adoption of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the West African Coastal Observatory (ORLOA), formalized by the signing of the Lomé Declaration.

The ministerial discussions were preceded by two days of expert-level meetings on October 8-9, where technical delegates laid the groundwork for the agreements finalized by the ministers.