Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission Conducts Monitoring & Evaluation Mission to Togo to Assess the Progress in the Implementation of Humanitatrian Assistance to Support Communities Affected by Flood and Food Insecurity

The Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission embarked on a four-day monitoring and evaluation mission to Togo from July 15th to 18th, 2024. The mission assessed the impact of ECOWAS humanatarian response to communities affected by flooding and food insecurity, as part of efforts to strengthen the ECOWAS Humanitarian Response Mechanism (EHRM).

In April 2023, the ECOWAS Commission convened a consultative workshop in Lomé to evaluate the proposals and budgets submitted by Member States for humanitarian assistance. The workshop resulted in the allocation of funds for communities affected by severe flooding and food insecurity in 2022. Consequently, Togo received $722,561 for flood assistance and $351,217 for food and nutrition support for community resilience building and recovery.

To implement these programs, the Togolese government identified the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) as a credible partner. The EHRM emphasizes the importance of Field Validation Missions (FVM) to affected communities in collaboration with government agencies and implementing partners.

The ECOWAS delegation, led by Director Dr. Sintiki Tarfa-Ugbe, held consultations with strategic partners, state actors, the World Food Program, and the ECOWAS Resident Representative to Togo. Dr. Tarfa-Ugbe stressed the need for effective collaboration to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches all affected individuals and has a significant impact on beneficiaries and communities.

During a preparatory meeting with Togo’s Civil Protection Agency, Deputy Director Mr. Wouro O. Salim outlined the itinerary and modalities for the field mission. He praised the ECOWAS Commission for its people-oriented programs that support member states in delivering good governance.

The field mission covered communities across central and northern Togo, including Anié, Sotouboua, Sokodé, and Kara. The delegation interacted with individuals and community leaders to gather firsthand accounts of the impact of the assistance on their daily lives and livelihoods.

Dr. Tarfa-Ugbe reiterated the ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to improving the living standards of its citizens and ensuring dignity for all. “This mission will allow us to engage with partners, visit the field, interact with beneficiaries, and measure the impact of the assistance. We will witness firsthand how these projects have improved their lives, resilience and recovery,” she said.

She commended the Togolese government, the Civil Protection Agency, and the ECOWAS national office for their achievements, noting an 80% implementation rate with a few weeks remaining in the six-month project timeframe. So far, approximately 2,717 households and 14,000 individuals have benefited from the ECOWAS humanitarian assistance in Togo. Dr. Tarfa-Ugbe highlighted the need for accountability, stating, “The funds are from the ECOWAS community fund, and we are all accountable to the citizens.” Dr. Sintiki also commended the selection process of the beneficiaries which cut across all groups , men, women, widows, youth, and the people living with disabilities.

The Communities celebrated the life-Changing Humanitarian Support from ECOWAS, with beneficiaries sharing their heartfelt accounts of how the humanitarian support received has profoundly impacted their lives, restoring their faith in humanity and resilience while preserving their dignity throughout their recovery process. The support included essential food and nutrition aid, as well as the provision of tractors for farm ploughing, seeds, fertilizers, and training on new agricultural techniques and technologies.

Community leaders expressed deep gratitude to ECOWAS for its timely and effective humanitarian response. This assistance is expected to significantly improve productivity and enhance food security in the region. The support has enabled farming communities to cultivate more hectares of land, leading to increased harvests and allowing them to allocate resources to other critical areas of their livelihoods

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).