The ECOWAS Commission has joined the global community to mark the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), observed today, 13 October 2025, under the theme “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters.”

This year’s commemoration underscores a renewed international call for governments and institutions to shift from reactive spending on disaster response to proactive investments in building community resilience and preparedness.

In a statement issued in Accra, ECOWAS stressed that the increasing frequency of floods, droughts, epidemics, and climate-related emergencies across West Africa calls for a fundamental change in how resources are allocated.

Rather than waiting for disasters to strike, the Commission emphasised the need to strengthen national systems, anticipate risks and empower local structures to act ahead of crises.

To drive this agenda, the Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs (DHSA), through its Disaster Operations Centre (DOC), has implemented a series of strategic interventions across Member States in the last year. These include:

• Operationalisation of multi-hazard early warning systems to improve real-time risk communication and rapid response.

• Targeted capacity-building programmes designed to equip national disaster management agencies with advanced tools and knowledge for risk assessment and coordination.

• Strengthened partnerships with development partners and technical institutions to enhance regional expertise and resource mobilisation.

• Enhanced visibility and readiness of the ECOWAS DOC as a central coordination hub for disaster risk management across West Africa.

ECOWAS reiterated that building resilience is not just a development priority but a security and humanitarian imperative for the region.