the 6th Ordinary Session of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee (MMC) on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)

Abidjan, 23 September 2026 – West African ministers in charge of water resources held the 6th Ordinary Session of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee (MMC) on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) at the Radisson Blu hotel in Abidjan. They adopted nine resolutions, including the institutionalisation of the West Africa Regional Water Forum (FREAO) and action against transboundary water pollution.

Chaired by Dr Cheikh Tidiane DIEYE, Minister of Water and Sanitation of Senegal and current Chair of the MMC, the session brought together thirteen countries: five represented by their minister (Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone) and eight by mandated delegates (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Togo). ECOWAS, UEMOA, river basin organisations, AMCOW and technical and financial partners also took part.

The opening ceremony featured addresses by Mr Amin Amidu SULEMANI, ECOWAS Commissioner, Mr GADO Mahamadou, UEMOA Commissioner, Dr Jacques SOMDA on behalf of the partners, and Mr Jacques Assahoré KONAN, Minister of Water and Forests of Côte d'Ivoire.

Nine resolutions adopted

After reviewing the reports of the Technical Committee of Experts and the Regional Water Resources Consultation Council, the Committee adopted resolutions on:

•     The WRMC: approval of its 2025 activity report and 2026 work programme;

•     SDG 6: follow-up to the review of the regional IWRM process and progress towards SDG 6;

•     Regional policy: validation of the diagnostic phase of the revision of the West African Water Resources Policy;

•     FREAO: institutionalisation of the forum and organisation of its future editions;

•     International agenda: the region's participation in the 2026 UN Water Conference and implementation of the Africa Water Vision 2063;

•     Pollution and data: action against transboundary water pollution and harmonisation of water information systems.

Ministers welcomed the institutionalisation of the FREAO, whose first edition opens in Abidjan the day after the session, as a strong signal for mobilising water stakeholders. They thanked Côte d'Ivoire for its hospitality and partners for their continued support.