WAJESHA and the Road to Antalya: Telling West Africa's COP31 Story

When COP31 opens in Antalya on 9 November, West Africa will be at the table in a bigger way than usual. Ghana chairs the African Group of Negotiators this year, and West African journalists have a story to tell.

WAJESHA in brief
WAJESHA is a regional network of journalists dedicated to high-impact reporting on environment, science, health and agriculture across West Africa, and a non-profit project of the Centre for Climate Change & Food Security. Its mission is to build credible, solutions-driven environmental journalists who promote climate action and shift narratives across the sub-region.

What Africa is bringing to Türkiye
The Common African Position prioritises immediate adaptation, climate finance and loss and damage support. The AGN chair has described adaptation as Africa's "central and non-negotiable priority." Ghana, as AGN chair, has asked the UN to add agenda items on tripling adaptation finance and on trade and climate change, which sets up a possible fight over the agenda. African negotiators also want a two-year technical process on adaptation indicators and structured talks on tripling adaptation finance by 2035.

Managing expectations
The AGN chair has said there will be no major finance decision like COP29's at COP31. One analysis argues that although countries agreed at COP30 to triple adaptation finance, structural and operational gaps limit delivery to African countries. The story is therefore likely to be about implementation, not headline pledges.

Where WAJESHA can add value
Explaining the stakes. The AGN has pointed to unpredictable rainfall, drought, flooding and coastal erosion as realities behind its positions. WAJESHA's mix of environment, health and agriculture reporters is well placed to link these to daily life.

Following the money. Journalists can track whether pledges become predictable funding that finance ministries can programme into public investment plans.

Holding Ghana to account. Ghana's EPA has tasked its negotiators to prioritise national and African interests, and the country's AGN chairmanship adds responsibility. Reporters can check results against these promises.

Building toward COP32. COP32 will be in Addis Ababa in 2027, so coverage that starts in Antalya can carry through the next year.

What to watch in Antalya
The outcome of the agenda fight on adaptation finance and trade.

Any movement on loss and damage and the adaptation finance roadmap.

Whether West African journalists secure accreditation and are present.

The bottom line
The negotiations will happen on Türkiye's coast, but the consequences will be felt in Tamale, Katsina and Dakar. WAJESHA's value will be in turning technical text into stories that people can act on.

Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,
International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding. (USIP)
[email protected]
+233555275880

References
WAJESHA: https://wajesha.org/

allAfrica, 4 Jul 2025: https://allafrica.com/stories/202507040381.html

GNA, 30 Mar 2026, AGN Accra meeting: https://gna.org.gh/2026/03/agn-meets-in-accra-to-shape-africas-agenda-for-cop31-cop32/

GNA, 8 Sept 2026, AGN chair: https://gna.org.gh/2026/09/africa-must-secure-climate-finance-food-systems-action-at-cop31-agn-chair/

Climate Home News, "Africa wants adaptation finance on COP31 agenda": https://www.climatechangenews.com/?p=91744

Africa Sustainability Matters, "Africa heads to COP31 with a climate finance demand": https://africasustainabilitymatters.com/?p=27945

The Nation (Kenya), "Africa fights for fair climate finance as COP31 approaches": https://www.nation.africa/kenya/climate/africa-fights-for-fair-climate-finance-as-cop31-approaches-in-tuerkiye-5628908

allAfrica/ISS, 7 Aug 2026, "Without the Right Tools, COP31's Implementation Promise Will Fail Africa": https://allafrica.com/stories/202608070404.html

GNA, 30 Oct 2026, Ghana EPA and negotiators: https://gna.org.gh/2026/10/ghana-tasks-cop31-negotiators-to-prioritise-national-african-interests/

Adom Online, AGN Accra meeting: https://www.adomonline.com/?p=2695065