ECOWAS Water Ministers Meet to Discuss Integrated Water Resources Management
The meeting brought together water resources ministers from the 15 ECOWAS Member States to address critical issues in water management.
ABUJA, Nigeria — The 5th ordinary session of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in West Africa convened on June 28, 2024, in Abuja, writes Winston Mwale.
The meeting brought together water resources ministers from the 15 ECOWAS Member States to address critical issues in water management and sustainable development across the region.
Key points from the meeting:
1. The session followed the 11th Ordinary Session of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), which addressed:
- Draft Directive on managing shared water resources
- Development of hydraulic infrastructures
- Promotion of new transboundary basin organizations
- Establishment of a West African Water Facility (Fund)
- Regional Initiative for the Development, Resilience, and Valorization of Water Resources (DREVE)
2. DREVE, an ambitious program supported by the World Bank, aims to enhance sustainable development in the region.
3. Mr. Sediko Douka, ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalization, reaffirmed the organization's commitment to sub-regional cooperation based on the 1998 "Ouagadougou Declaration."
4. A regional program has been established to provide clean water to rural and peri-urban areas, with ECOWAS seeking support from technical and financial partners.
5. Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, Nigeria's Minister of Water Resources & Sanitation, emphasized the need for unity among member states to manage the sub-region's water resources effectively.
6. Utsev highlighted the potential of water resources to drive developmental growth across various sectors, including health, education, tourism, food security, and energy.
7. The minister cautioned that lack of proper coordination could lead to underdevelopment and conflicts among countries, particularly between upstream and downstream nations.
The meeting underscores ECOWAS's commitment to addressing water management challenges in West Africa, recognizing the critical role of water resources in the region's sustainable development and the importance of international cooperation in this effort.