Clone of ECOWAS 50th Anniversary: Citizen-led beach clean-up and coconut tree planting operation in Lomé, Togo

On 14 February 2026, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Country Representation in Togo, organised a citizen-led beach clean-up and coconut tree planting initiative in col-laboration with Togo's Ministry of Environment, Forest Resources, Coastal Protection and Climate Change. The operation took place on Lomé beach, opposite the former Hôtel de la Paix. This event, led by the Directorate of Environment and Natural Resources of the Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, is part of the activities marking the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS. The aim was to mobilise the population to become eco-citizens through a plastic waste-free campaign and the promotion of the circular econo-my in urban centres.     

More than 500 participants, including political and administrative authorities, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of civil society organisations active in the field of envi-ronmental protection, particularly youth and women's associations, as well as companies and industries in the plastics sector, took part in this campaign, which received extensive media coverage. The launch ceremony featured three speeches, including one by the ECOWAS Repre-sentative, the Mayor of the Golfe1 district of Lomé and the Representative of the Togolese Min-ister for the Environment.

The Mayor, Joseph Koamy Gomado, welcomed the authorities present, highlighted the rele-vance of the action and the efforts undertaken by his municipality to combat plastic pollution. He also reaffirmed his willingness to continue beach clean-up operations and other measures aimed at the environmentally sound management of plastics.

The ECOWAS Resident Representative in Togo, Her Excellency Ms Deweh Emily Gray, while thanking the authorities for their mobilisation, stressed that ‘this action does not replace the prerogatives of local authorities who carry out concrete actions on a daily basis to meet the multiple needs of the population. Our campaign complements what you are already doing on the ground’. The support highlights the efforts undertaken by ECOWAS to reduce plastic pollu-tion and promote sustainable waste management practices, in particular the adoption of Regu-lation C/REG.17/12/23 on the harmonisation of regulations on plastic products and the envi-ronmentally sound management of plastic waste within ECOWAS Member States. She an-nounced the imminent adoption of a draft regional plastics management plan, developed with the support of the World Bank. She urged people to make this day the starting point for an eco-responsible culture. ‘Let's unite to save the beach, for ourselves and for future generations,’ she concluded.

The beach clean-up operation was preceded by the planting of coconut trees, which play a cru-cial ecological role in stabilising sandy soils and thus limiting coastal erosion. All in all, the citizen-led reforestation and beach clean-up operation in Lomé was an important opportunity to mobilise and raise awareness among students and civil society actors, with strong participation from the staff of ECOWAS agencies and institutions based in Togo, includ-ing Mr Konlani Kanfitin, Executive Director of the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (RA-FA), alongside Mr Y. Bernard Koffi, Acting Director of Environment and Natural Resources at ECOWAS, who came specially from Abuja to support this initiative.

This civic action, organised jointly by ECOWAS and the Government of Togo through the Minis-try of the Environment, is the embodiment of ecological diplomacy for the benefit of West Afri-can populations, particularly those of Togo.

As a reminder, "Plastic pollution poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems, public health and the environment in general, particularly in West Africa. According to the study by the World Bank, in West Africa, approximately 80% of plastic waste is poorly managed, largely due to in-adequate waste management systems, growing consumption of single-use plastics and a lack of public awareness. Blue economy sectors collectively contribute to approximately 56% of the region's GDP and are threatened by plastic pollution. The real cost of damage caused by marine plastics in West Africa is estimated at between USD 10,000 and USD 33,000 per tonne of plastic waste. There is growing recognition that plastic pollution is a cross-border issue that requires a coordinated regional response”.