The Nigerien Minister of Environment, Hydraulics, and Sanitation, Colonel Maizama Abdoulaye, presided over the opening ceremony of a regional workshop on September 21, 2026, in Niamey. The workshop focuses on monitoring the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of the Commission Climat pour la Région du Sahel (CCRS) member countries. The goal is to advance financing solutions and resilience tailored to the Sahel region's realities.
Colonel Maizama Abdoulaye emphasized the importance of aligning NDCs with national priorities, including food sovereignty, energy access, and job creation for the youth. He highlighted that Niger's new NDC, CDN 3.0, is a climate-focused version of the Programme pour la Refondation de la République (PPR). The minister invited participants to focus on four key areas: assessing previous NDC implementation, identifying innovative financing mechanisms, building regional resilience, and finalizing action plans for CDN implementation.
The Secretary Executive of CCRS, Issifi Boureima, noted that after ten years of implementing the Paris Agreement, the first cycle of NDCs revealed limitations, including insufficient resources and fragmented strategies. He emphasized that the Sahel region is warming at 1.5 times the global average rate, with severe consequences for the environment and economies. Boureima stressed the need for a collective resilience pact, with new NDCs serving as a framework for territorialized ambitions, aligned with economic and health sovereignty, and backed by climate financing and diplomacy.
The representative of the United Nations System in Niger, Djanabou Mahondé, highlighted the workshop's potential to advance three priorities: identifying suitable financing mechanisms, strengthening national capacities to transform climate priorities into bankable projects, and enhancing regional synergies. She assured the UN system's commitment to supporting the Nigerien government and CCRS in this endeavor.
The workshop aims to bring together stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities in implementing NDCs in the Sahel region. Participants will share experiences, best practices, and innovative solutions to address climate change and build resilience. The event also seeks to foster collaboration and coordination among CCRS member countries, international partners, and development agencies.
The Nigerien government's efforts to address climate change are aligned with regional and international frameworks, including the Paris Agreement and the African Union's Agenda 2063. The country's new NDC, CDN 3.0, is expected to play a crucial role in achieving these goals and promoting sustainable development.
The workshop's outcomes are expected to contribute to the development of effective strategies for implementing NDCs in the Sahel region. The event will also provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss and address the specific challenges faced by the region, including limited access to climate finance and the need for climate-resilient infrastructure.
Key points
- The workshop aims to enhance climate change resilience and align Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with regional priorities.
