FAO has established since the 1980s strong partnerships with key strategic institutions in the West Africa sub-region, comprising inter aliawith the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), to promote sustainable agriculture and rural development with the aim of embedding food and nutrition security for all member nations in the subregion. 

In the wake of the partnership agreements forged with these institutions, FAO provided technical assistance to ECOWAS and the 15 member State in West Africa enabling the implementation and assessment of the first generation of the ECOWAS regional agriculture policy (ECOWAP) and Agricultural Investment Plans at both regional (RAIP) and national (NAIP) levels. FAO continues to play a key role in assisting the subregion to adapt and effectively implement related global and continental declarations and commitments concluded, such as the 2014 Malabo Declaration on ‘Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods’, the Agenda 2030, the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), the Conference of Parties (COP 21 & 22) and the United Nations Gender Agenda.

The theme for this year’s West Africa 10^th Multidisciplinary Team meeting, which is being convened in Accra, Ghana, from 24 to 26 October 2017, is focused on  “Achieving sustainable rural development, food security and nutrition in West Africa: tackling emerging challenges”. At a time when West Africa is increasingly facing more complex challenges prompted by progressively adverse natural conditions, man-made disasters and depleting natural resources, this annual consultation provides a timely opportunity for FAO, ECOWAS and other subregional stakeholders to set, both strategically and proactively,  the stage for enhancing their collaboration in order to achieve the development goals and targets for the subregion in West Africa,  notwithstanding these persisting and emerging challenges.

WHAT: The FAO subregional Multidisciplinary Team meeting for West Africa is held each year to deliberate on the salient issues facing the member states of the subregion in their quest to develop and sustainably manage their respective agriculture and rural sectors with the aim of embedding food and nutrition security for all in their respective nations.

WHO: FAO subregional Multidisciplinary Team meetings gather technical experts and partners from the Organization and its partner institutions, as well as some governmental authorities from the subregion. FAO Representatives to the 15 ECOWAS Member countries, together with the Organization’s Resilience focal points and a Representative of the host country (Ghana), will be attending this year’s annual multidisciplinary team meeting for West Africa.

WHEN and WHERE: The 10^th Multidisciplinary Team meeting for West Africa will be held from the 24^th to 26^th of October 2017, at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana.