Agence de Presse Ouest-Africaine
Agence de Presse Ouest-Africaine
Morocco's Berm, a 2,700-kilometre barrier built between 1980 and 1987, still divides Western Sahara and marks the de facto front line of an unresolved conflict. Researchers linked to a University of Porto project describe three overlooked dangers: a vast minefield, an ecological trap drawing wildlife toward explosives, and the disruption of Sahrawi pastoral routes.
ECOWAS opened its 11th annual meeting of animal health networks in Lomé on Tuesday, bringing together veterinary officials and regional partners to strengthen surveillance and control of transboundary animal diseases. Participants will review and adopt the electronic platform of the Regional Animal Health Information System, while a ministerial gathering on the sidelines is set to approve regional strategies on donkey conservation, foot-and-mouth disease, and avian influenza.
A review of 62 studies across the Southern African Development Community found that climate shocks have cut legume harvests by up to 78%, and researchers warn a super El Niño expected from September 2026 into early 2027 could bring similar losses. Researcher Moses Chitete outlines steps farmers and governments can take, from drought-tolerant seed to stronger early-warning systems and crop insurance.
A new study analysing nearly three decades of maize futures data finds that South African prices become more volatile during El Niño events, even as the country holds larger stockpiles than in previous droughts. The research suggests local prices are unlikely to rise as high as import costs, though white maize remains vulnerable if supplies run short.
Research by Adrià San José Plana and Xavier Rodó links year-to-year changes in cutaneous leishmaniasis transmission in north Africa to climate variability originating in the Atlantic Ocean. The study found that slowly varying Atlantic temperatures influence westerly winds that carry moisture to the region, affecting rainfall, desert vegetation, rodent reservoirs and sandfly habitats. The findings lay groundwork for forecasting the disease in Morocco and Tunisia.
The ECOWAS Representation in Benin has inaugurated two meeting rooms named after Marcel de Souza, a former Chair of the ECOWAS Commission, and Lamine Cisse, founding President of the Union of ECOWAS Nationals. Ambassador Amadou Diongue presided over the September 29 ceremony, which was attended by government representatives and members of both families.
ECOWAS has opened a five-day training programme in Monrovia for statistical leaders from member states and Mauritania, held under the World Bank-funded HISWACA project. Liberia used the opening ceremony to launch its Country Report on socio-economic performance, food security and regional integration.
Brazil, Norway, South Africa and Spain, with Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, have called for support for a proposed International Panel on Inequality, modelled on the climate change panel. Writing in The Conversation, economists Murray Leibbrandt and Anda David argue the panel's value will depend on whether its assessments reflect African realities, and outline priorities from the launch of the African Inequality Review.
ECOWAS animal health networks are meeting in Lomé, Togo, from 6 to 8 October 2026 to discuss regional governance of animal health and adopt new surveillance tools. The 11th annual meeting brings together veterinary services heads, laboratory and epidemiology network focal points, and representatives of regional bodies. A ministerial gathering on the sidelines will consider strategies on donkey conservation, foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza.
ECOWAS Commission President H.E. General Birame Diop met IMF and World Bank officials in Washington, D.C., on 28 and 29 September 2026, during the 81st UN General Assembly session. Discussions covered West Africa's economic outlook, regional integration, and collaboration under an existing ECOWAS-IMF memorandum of understanding. The parties agreed to hold a high-level mission to the ECOWAS Commission in the third week of November 2026.
