Since 2011, Côte d’Ivoire, under the leadership of President Alassane Ouattara, has made good governance a cornerstone of its development strategy. Structural reforms implemented by the government have delivered significant results, as highlighted by Minister Nialé Kaba. The National Development Plan (PND), with a budget of 59,000 billion CFA francs, serves as the operational roadmap for the « Côte d’Ivoire 2030 » vision. The effectiveness of Ivorian public policies is recognized internationally. In 2023, the country achieved a score of 3.8 on the World Bank’s CPIA index, surpassing the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 3.1. Moody’s sovereign rating for Côte d’Ivoire improved from Ba3 in 2023 to Ba2 in 2024, placing the country on par with South Africa in terms of credit quality.
In the face of an alarming situation — with nearly 515,215 refugees and 5.6 million internally displaced persons in 2022, according to UNHCR — the ECOWAS region is reaffirming its commitment to protecting and empowering these vulnerable populations. The ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with regional organizations and NGOs, continues to highlight its efforts to bring the vision of a « Community of Peoples » to life. Recent forced displacements, particularly from Mali and Burkina Faso, have tested West African solidarity. However, as Sinti TARFA-UGBE, Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs at the ECOWAS Commission, emphasized, the region truly embodies the spirit of the organization. This approach also underlines the crucial role of host communities and traditional authorities in managing humanitarian crises.
This region truly embodies the spirit of ECOWAS — the ECOWAS of the people. We have witnessed host communities and traditional leaders, such as the chief of Thili, Tarikom, welcoming refugees crossing the border. Whether they come from Burkina Faso or from Mali through Niger, they find refuge here. In doing so, you have demonstrated the very essence of regional integration: an ECOWAS of the people, working for peace and prosperity for all.
Sinti TARFA-UGBE, Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, ECOWAS – Nigeria
Beyond the initial welcome, the socio-economic integration of displaced persons and refugees in host countries remains a major challenge. Current programs aim to ensure their international protection and access to essential services. For Tetteh Padi, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Refugee Board, issuing a single official identification document is key.
“En tant que gestionnaires du programme, nous veillons également à ce que les réfugiés bénéficient d’une protection internationale garantie par l’État. Nous veillons également à ce qu’ils aient accès à tous les services sociaux, notamment la santé, l’éducation, les services financiers et l’emploi. Nous facilitons donc l’accès à tous ces services. C’est pourquoi, par exemple, nous remettons aux réfugiés la carte d’identité de la CEDEAO, qui est la version non-citoyenne de la carte d’identité de la CEDEAO. Cela leur donne accès à de très nombreux services, notamment financiers.”
Tetteh PADI, Executive Secretary, Ghana Refugee Board – Ghana
As program managers, we ensure that refugees receive international protection guaranteed by the state. We also make sure they have access to all social services — including healthcare, education, financial services, and employment. We work to facilitate access to all these services. That’s why, for instance, we issue refugees the ECOWAS identity card, which is the non-citizen version of the ECOWAS ID. This grants them access to a wide range of services, especially financial ones.
ECOWAS’s humanitarian response goes beyond emergency relief, focusing on long-term self-reliance and livelihood development for both refugees and host communities.
The project includes the drilling of boreholes. We provide non-food items, such as roofing sheets and cement, to displaced populations. Refugees in the camps also receive food items, including rice, oil, and maize. Support is also provided for the development of livelihood skills. In addition, agricultural grants are allocated to refugees settled in the camp. Our work also extends to host communities, in order to help them achieve self-reliance.
Eric PEASAH, Founder and Executive Director, NGO – Ghana
In 2023, ECOWAS and UNHCR signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation on the protection of refugees, stateless persons, and displaced populations in West Africa. Ongoing insecurity and the worsening humanitarian situation continue to drive large-scale displacement across the region. According to official figures, there are currently 6,976,470 forcibly displaced people in West Africa — including 6,352,346 internally displaced persons.
