Experts from Hydrology, Meteorology, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Gender Agencies of the ECOWAS Member States, including representatives of civil society, private sector and youth among others deliberated on the three strategic documents developed and presented by the ECOWAS Commission namely, the ECOWAS Hydromet Initiative, the ECOWAS Flood Risk Management Strategy, and the ECOWAS Disaster Risk Reduction Gender Strategy and Action Plan (GSAP). The technical session reviewed and validated the strategic documents and produced a succinct technical report recommending the endorsement of the documents by the ECOWAS Ministers.

The Forum also featured plenary and parallel technical sessions on key important topics germane to Hydromet, Disaster Risk Reduction services and Gender with keynote speakers and panelists providing useful knowledge and insights into innovations, best practice examples, science and technology ideas relating to Hydromet and Disaster Risk Reduction.

On the final day of the meeting, the 22 April 2021, the Ministerial session was Chaired by the Honorable Minister for Communications and Digitalization of the Republic of Ghana, Mrs. OWUSU-EKUFUL Ursula Gifty, with a formal opening by the Vice President of The Republic of The Gambia, H. E. Dr. Isatou Touray, on behalf of the Republic of The Gambia.

The opening remarks of the ECOWAS President, His Excellency, Jean-Claude Kassi BROU was delivered by Mr. Sekou Sangare, ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources. The Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization, Mr. Petteri Taalas also delivered remarks reiterating the relevance of hydrometeorological services to the region and commended ECOWAS and the Member states on hosting the 2^nd Hydromet Forum and expressed commitment to support ECOWAS in the implementation of the ECOWAS Hydromet Initiative, the ECOWAS Flood Risk Management Strategy, and the ECOWAS Disaster Risk Reduction Gender Strategy and Action Plan (GSAP).

The ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Sekou Sangare presented the ECOWAS Hydromet Initiative and highlighted the scope and the challenges to hydromet services in the region and informed the meeting that investment needs estimated to be at US$324.5 million were required to support interventions in member states and at the regional level to gradually improve and sustain service levels. These investment needs include US$ 290 million for the Member states and US$34.5 million as support to regional institutions. In conclusion, Commissioner Sangare urged the Member states to invest in hydromet services as the return on every USD1(One) invested has the potential of a 7-10-fold return.

The Commissioner Social Affairs and Gender, Dr. Siga Fatima Jagne presented the Flood Risk Management Strategy of the ECOWAS Commission and underscored the purpose of developing the strategy as a framework to respond to the gaps in knowledge management and governance in flood risk reduction at national and regional levels. The strategy focuses on four strategic objectives aimed at providing guidance to intergovernmental organisations, Member states, national bodies, and river basin authorities on flood risk management, to reduce the associated potential negative impacts.

The Commissioner Social Affairs and Gender, Dr. Siga Fatima Jagne also presented the Disaster Risk Reduction Gender Strategy and Action Plan (GSAP) as a framework for strengthening the effective implementation of a comprehensive ECOWAS Disaster Risk Reduction and Risk Management at the regional level with the full integration of gender and youth-related concerns to enhance resilience to natural hazards. The Strategy also aims at ensuring that women are key pillars for resilience and disaster risk preparedness and response.

The Ministers in charge of Hydrology, Meteorology, Disaster Risk Reduction and Gender unanimously endorsed the strategic documents and made some recommendations. The Ministers underscored the importance for the ECOWAS Commission to provide strong regional leadership and to work in concert with the ECOWAS Member states and development partners to mobilize the needed financial resources for the implementation of the key priority actions in the strategies.

The Forum was also marked on the final day with a partners’ meeting Chaired by Mr. Prashant Singh, Senior Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist and Team Leader of the World Bank, to understand and appreciate the role of various partners in developing initiatives, projects, and funding schemes for climate-related interventions and the need for the ECOWAS Commission to leverage on such initiatives in mobilizing technical and financial assistance for the implementation of the strategies.

The Forum closed with the adoption of the 2^nd ECOWAS Hydromet Forum and Disaster Risk Reduction Platform Communiqué and with a strong statement of commitment by the Honorable Minister for Communications and Digitalization of the Republic of Ghana, Mrs. OWUSU-EKUFUL Ursula Gifty Ministers on behalf of the ECOWAS Ministers, also the ECOWAS Commission and Development Partners committed to developing operational plans to mobilize resources for the implementation of the strategies.