The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), and the Senegalese Ministry of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation, launched the annual forum of intergovernmental organisations from West Africa today to examine and address the impact of emerging risks and challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the unfolding crisis in Ukraine.
Participants will address sustainable development issues, identify and discuss policy directions and actions needed to strengthen the resilience and recovery of West African economies during the two-day forum in Dakar on the 21st and 22nd of June 2022.
They’ll also lay the groundwork for policy responses to emerging development challenges in West Africa, such as rising food insecurity, climate change, extreme violence, and social cohesion breakdown.
According to joint studies conducted by ECOWAS, UNECA, FAO, and WFP, the socioeconomic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the ripple effect of the conflict in Ukraine has led to increased costs of food, fuel, and agricultural inputs – particularly fertilizer – in the region.
According to these studies, West African countries are highly reliant on food imports, with the region spending US$ 4.5 billion on cereal imports in 2019. Wheat import dependency is particularly high in Mali, Senegal, Guinea, and Benin, where Russia supplies just over half of the wheat consumed.
The unprecedented rise in food prices seen in February-March 2022, with the FAO Food Price Index reaching its highest level on record in March 2022, poses a threat to the region.
The rising cost of importing agricultural inputs, such as fertilizer, in West African countries has a negative impact on food production in the region, particularly in the Sahelian zone.
These uncertainties may exacerbate food insecurity in a region that has already experienced the highest number of food insecure people during the post-harvest season since the Cadre Harmonisé food security assessments were implemented in 2014.
Food insecurity is expected to affect 43 million women, men, and children during the current lean season, up from 23% last year.
The United Nations will strengthen their partnership with ECOWAS and intergovernmental organizations through this forum, ensuring that all parties work together in a coordinated manner that is aligned with both subregional strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.