Defying Drought Forum Unites West Africa in Fight for Resilience

The Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou, has been the center of a major continental dialogue since September 29th, 2025. It is hosting the High-Level Forum on Drought Control in West Africa, dubbed Defying Drought, which brings together hundreds of participants from the Sahel and other regions of the world for two days.

The event is co-organized by the World Bank Group, the Government of Burkina Faso, and the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE).

Drought is one of the most pressing challenges facing West Africa

Its frequency and intensity are increasing due to climate change, land degradation, and a rapidly growing population. The consequences are dramatic: depleted soils, compromised harvests, weakened livelihoods, increased migration, and social instability. According to the World Bank, the frequency of extreme droughts has increased by 23% in just a few decades, and when such an episode strikes, GDP per capita can drop by a full percentage point.

The Defying Drought forum was launched to address this urgent need in West Africa. It aims to mobilize nearly 300 decision-makers, experts, and technical partners to explore practical, shared solutions around four areas: drought monitoring and forecasting, proactive water management and storage, landscape and agricultural conservation, and financing for resilience and post-drought recovery.

The opening ceremony was marked by the reading of the official speech of Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo, by the Minister of Economy, Finance and Foresight, Dr. Aboubakar Nacanabo, who represented him. In his address, the Prime Minister reiterated that drought should not be considered solely as an environmental problem, but also as a threat to the economic and social stability of the region. “Drought weighs on our public finances, on the health of the population, and on peace,” he stressed, calling for “this issue to be approached as a national and regional security issue.”

He also highlighted the initiatives already undertaken by Burkina Faso under the leadership of the transitional president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, including the presidential initiative for food self-sufficiency, the battle for water, the restoration of vegetation cover, as well as the country’s active participation in the Great Green Wall.

“But no one can face such a vast challenge alone. Hence the importance of strengthening regional and international cooperation,” he insisted, inviting participants to make the forum “an act of collective will and a legacy of resilience for future generations. in West Africa”

The creation of an African Regional Water Centre

One of the highlights of the first day was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the World Bank and the Burkinabe government for the creation of the African Regional Water Center (AWR). This center, which will be housed at the 2iE Institute in Ouagadougou, aims to become a continental center of excellence in West Africa. It will serve as a center for research, innovation, and training for African decision-makers and future executives in the field of sustainable water management in West Africa.

According to World Bank Regional Vice President Ousmane Diagana, who attended the ceremony, the AWR should “strengthen the region’s resilience to drought by creating a space for innovation and South-South experience sharing.”

Following the speeches and institutional discussions, the first day of the forum concluded with a symbolic activity. Roger Baro, Minister of the Environment, Water, and Sanitation, accompanied by a World Bank delegation and several participants, visited the Nagrin neighborhood of Ouagadougou to plant trees in a grove.

This act, beyond its ecological significance, was presented as a symbol of collective commitment to restoring vegetation cover and combating desertification in West Africa. “Planting a tree is an investment in the future; it is a concrete sign of our commitment to overcoming drought,” declared one participant in this activity.

The discussions, which continue until September 30th, should result in strong recommendations and a common roadmap to strengthen the resilience of Sahel countries in the face of this major climate challenge.

__

(Featured image by Gyan Shahane via Unsplash)

DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.

This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.

First published in lefaso.net. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us.