By Faridat Salifu
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has underscored the necessity of integrated water resource management (IWRM) in fostering sustainable socio-economic development across the region.
This assertion was made during the 5th Ordinary Session of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee (MMC) on IWRM held in Abuja on Friday.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Sediko Douka, emphasized the critical role of IWRM in addressing water-related challenges that hinder the economic and social progress of West African nations.
He pointed out that the urgency of adopting innovative water management practices aligns with the recommendations from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Sustainable Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992.
“Water issues pose significant threats to the development of our region. We need to adopt new water management strategies to mitigate these challenges,” Douka emphasized.
He highlighted the long-standing commitment of ECOWAS member states to the IWRM process, which began in 1998 and led to the adoption of a regional action plan in 2000, alongside the establishment of a permanent coordination and monitoring framework (PCMF).
This commitment was solidified in the “Ouagadougou Declaration” of 1998, which expressed a unified political vision for sub-regional cooperation in water resource management.
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“The principles outlined in our regional framework have been guiding our integrated water resource management efforts for nearly three decades,” Douka noted.
The Abuja meeting aimed to rejuvenate the PCMF and evaluate the progress of the West Africa Water Resources Policy (WAWRP), which was adopted in December 2008 by ECOWAS leaders.
The policy is a unique example of developing a common sectoral approach for regional integration, involving ECOWAS, the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), and the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS).
Douka also introduced the ECOWAS Regional Initiative for the Development, Resilience, and Valorisation of Water Resources (DREVE), describing it as an ambitious program supported by the World Bank and other regional organizations.
He expressed confidence that its implementation would significantly enhance sustainable development efforts within the ECOWAS bloc.
Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the potential of West Africa’s abundant water resources to drive development.
Utzev stressed that if these resources are properly harnessed and coordinated, they could positively impact various sectors, including health, education, tourism, food security, and energy.
“By collaborating on water resource management, ECOWAS member states can effectively tackle pressing issues such as climate change, poverty, unemployment, and inequality,” the minister declared.
The session in Abuja reaffirmed the collective resolve of West African countries to prioritize integrated water resource management as a cornerstone of regional development and resilience.
