During a panel focused on strengthening water security, peace, and development through cross-border collaboration, Mr. Alexis Kouassi, Director of the ECOWAS Water Resources Management Center, emphasized the strategic importance of water diplomacy in a region deeply interconnected by shared river basins.
Hosted by UNOWAS alongside the High-Level Preparatory Meeting for the United Nations Water Conference, the session provided a key platform to explore the relationship between joint water governance, conflict prevention, and regional integration. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Tanya Merceron, Climate and Security Adviser.
Mr. Kouassi noted that West Africa stands as a prime example of transboundary water cooperation, hosting almost a quarter of Africa’s shared river basins. Over the years, the region has built a robust institutional framework that promotes coordinated and sustainable management of these vital resources.
The panel gathered representatives from six major basin organizations — including OMVS, NBA, VBA, OMVG, LCBC, and the Mano River Union — who shared experiences, achievements, and challenges in shared water governance across their respective regions.
He stressed that every West African country shares at least one water basin with a neighboring state, making collective governance mechanisms essential to preventing water-related tensions, strengthening community resilience, and supporting regional development.
Aligned with global standards such as the 1992 UN Water Convention, West African states — with the support of ECOWAS — have progressively established transboundary water institutions. This coordinated approach now forms a cornerstone of regional stability and integration.
This dialogue feeds into preparations for the United Nations Water Conference. In this context, ECOWAS is organizing the West Africa Regional Water Forum, scheduled for 21–26 September 2026 in Abidjan, in collaboration with UEMOA and CILSS.
The Forum aims to shape a unified regional advocacy agenda ahead of the global conference in Abu Dhabi.
Key themes will include water diplomacy, conflict prevention, water security, and the role of water in economic and social transformation. The Forum’s theme — “Water to Transform West Africa” — reflects the region’s ambition to position water as a driver of peace, stability, and sustainable development.