The ECOWAS Water Resources Management Center Holds a Technical Retreat on Strategic Planning and Budget Preparation in Conakry
From August 18 to 21, 2025, in Conakry, the ECOWAS Water Resources Management Center held a technical retreat on strategic planning and budget preparation. This high-level meeting brought together CGRE officials, experts from the Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (SPME) of the ECOWAS Commission, as well as representatives of the Regional Program for the Integrated Development of the Fouta Djallon Massif (PRAI-MFD). The objective was to consolidate the foundations for integrated and sustainable water governance in West Africa.
Over four days of deliberations, participants finalized the draft 2026–2028 multiannual budget and conducted an in-depth review of the CGRE Strategic Plan 2025–2035. With the technical support of SPME, these exercises ensured better alignment between CGRE priorities, the ECOWAS Vision 2050, and the 2023–2027 Community Strategic Framework. This process contributes to the effective integration of sustainable and equitable water management issues into regional policies.
The discussions also highlighted the major challenges facing the sub-region, including increasing pressure on water resources and the urgent need for enhanced cooperation among Member States. SPME experts supported CGRE in developing strategic tools such as the logical framework, risk analysis, and budget narratives. For its part, PRAI-MFD— a key actor in the preservation of the Fouta Djallon Massif—shared its experience and priorities while directly contributing to the budget preparation exercise. This collaboration strengthened complementarity between the two institutions and laid the foundations for greater synergy in the implementation of regional programs.
The retreat also marked a significant step in the process of relocating the CGRE headquarters to Conakry, in line with the decision adopted at the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held in June 2025 in Abuja. In this context, a visit to the relocation site was organized, followed by a meeting with the Directorate of African Integration. These activities took place in the presence of the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Guinea, further reinforcing the institutional and symbolic nature of this relocation.
In closing the retreat, the Director of CGRE commended the decisive role of SPME and the contribution of PRAI-MFD, affirming that this retreat represents a key milestone in revitalizing the Center. He emphasized the need to mobilize technical and financial partners to ensure the effective implementation of the Strategic Plan and the multiannual budget, in support of sustainable and concerted water resources management in West Africa.