The African Development Bank (AfDB), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), organised a consultation workshop in Ouagadougou on 14 and 15 November this year to draw up an action plan, which aims to strengthen the resilience of communities in the Sahel region. The discussions focused on five key themes: governance and justice, security and decentralisation, adaptation to climate change, social infrastructure, and economic development.
The workshop was part of the Sahel Initiative, supported by AfDB Group's Vice Presidency for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, and was prepared by an in-depth assessment of fragility in the central Sahel.
The workshop, organised by the AfDB's Transition States Coordination Office, brought together representatives of national parties from Burkina Faso and Niger, the Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), the Liptako-Gourma Integrated Development Authority and local governments in Burkina Faso and Niger.
"This workshop is well timed and highly relevant for our countries, which are in a new phase of tackling internal challenges to create new opportunities for resilience," said Inoussa Ouiminga, Director General of Cooperation at Burkina Faso's Economy and Finance Ministry.
Daniel Ndoye, AfDB Country Manager in Burkina Faso, noted that the four partner institutions already initiated discussions in March 2024 concerning opportunities to improve resilience in the Sahel, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
"The aim of this initiative is to strengthen partnerships and improve synergies for action by United Nations agencies and multilateral development banks, particularly the African Development Bank, in line with the ambitions of the Bank's Strategy for addressing fragility and building resilience in Africa in 2022-2026," Mr Ndoye said.
Riadh Ben Messaoud, the Bank's Chief Coordinator on Fragility and Resilience, commented: 'This workshop demonstrates the specific commitment of the Bank and its partners to meeting the needs of the most vulnerable communities. The recommendations will guide our future interventions and mobilise more resources for the region."
