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.

Abidjan, 22 September 2026 – West African water experts met on 21 and 22 September at the Radisson Blu hotel in Abidjan for the 13th Ordinary Session of the Technical Committee of Experts (TCE) on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). In preparation for the 6th session of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee, the meeting notably recommended holding the West Africa Regional Water Forum (FREAO) every two years and convening a ministerial meeting dedicated to transboundary water pollution.

Opened by Conservator General ZOUZOU née MAILLY Elvire-Joëlle, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Water and Forests of Côte d'Ivoire, the proceedings were chaired by Dr Bakary FATY, IWRM Focal Point of Senegal. They brought together national focal points, river basin organisations and the region's technical and financial partners.

Dr Eugène Wonnan YEO, Director General of Water Resources of Côte d'Ivoire, recalled that the sharing of experience between countries, basin organisations and partners “remains a precious asset that we must continue to cultivate.”

For Mr Alexis KOUASSI, Director of the ECOWAS Water Resources Management Centre (WRMC), the session paved the way for the 1st edition of the FREAO, “a historic event awaited for more than 25 years.”

Review and recommendations

The experts reviewed the 14 resolutions of the 5th session of the Ministerial Committee, 7 of which have been fully implemented. They examined the WRMC's 2025 activity report and 2026 work programme, the findings of the study on SDG 6 and the revision of the regional water policy.

Recommendations submitted to the ministers include:

•     FREAO: hold the forum every two years and award its 2nd edition to Cabo Verde;

•     2026 UN Water Conference: present a common West African position and set up a “West Africa Pavilion”;

•     Transboundary water pollution: launch a regional consultation from the first quarter of 2027 and convene a dedicated extraordinary ministerial meeting;

•     Water data: adopt a regional framework agreement on data sharing and interconnect national, basin and regional systems;

•     Governance: review the texts of the regional IWRM framework to reflect new geopolitical realities.

These recommendations were submitted to the 6th session of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee, held on 23 September in Abidjan.

ECOWAS Launches the West Africa Regional Water Forum FREAO

Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), July 27, 2026
Novotel Abidjan Plateau Hotel

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its Water Resources Management Centre (WRMC), together with WAEMU, CILSS and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, officially announces the launch of the first edition of the West Africa Regional Water Forum (FREAO), to be held in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, from 24 to 25 September 2026.

Established within the framework of the regional Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) process involving all ECOWAS Member States and all transboundary river basin organizations in the region, the WARWF is set to become West Africa's leading platform for dialogue on water governance.

A HISTORIC REGIONAL CHALLENGE

West Africa is home to 28 shared river basins, covering nearly 71% of the region's total land area—one of the highest levels of water interdependence worldwide. Every West African country except Cabo Verde shares at least one watercourse with a neighboring country.

The region includes some of Africa's most strategic water systems, including the Niger River (9 countries; over 4,000 km), Senegal River (4 countries), Volta Basin (6 countries), Lake Chad Basin (8 countries), Gambia River (3 countries), and Comoé River (3 countries).

This reality makes cooperation in water management not only a necessity but also a strategic opportunity to strengthen peace, sustainable development, and climate resilience.

However, the region continues to face major challenges, including inadequate water infrastructure (drinking water supply, sanitation, irrigation, flood management), the underrepresentation of women and youth in water governance institutions, and weakened transboundary cooperation due to recent geopolitical developments. A high-level regional dialogue platform is therefore an essential strategic response.

FREAO: A STRUCTURING RESPONSE FOR WEST AFRICA

Institutionalized as a biennial high-level forum, the WARWF aims to bring together every two years all stakeholders involved in water and sanitation across West Africa, including policymakers, regional institutions, researchers, civil society organizations, the private sector, and technical and financial partners.

Its first edition, under the theme:

"Valuing Water to Transform West Africa"

will focus on four major priorities:

• Water–Food–Energy–Environment Nexus: turning this interdependence into a driver of economic development and climate resilience;
• Financing water infrastructure: exploring innovative financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships and climate finance;
• Gender, youth and social inclusion: promoting truly inclusive water governance by integrating the voices of women, youth and vulnerable communities;
• Regional cooperation and hydro-diplomacy: strengthening transboundary cooperation beyond geopolitical changes by making water a catalyst for peace.

EVENT FACT SHEET

Theme: Valuing Water to Transform West Africa
Forum dates: 24–25 September 2026
Venue: Abidjan, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
Lead organizer: ECOWAS Water Resources Management Centre (WRMC)
Co-organizers: WAEMU, CILSS, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
Expected participants: 300–500 (decision-makers, technical experts, development partners, civil society, private sector, media)
Frequency: Biennial (every two years)
Official website: www.westafricawaterforum.org

REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION

Registration is now open on the official WARWF website. The Forum is open to all stakeholders involved in water resources management and sanitation in West Africa.

Online registration: www.westafricawaterforum.org

A FORUM EMBEDDED IN THE INTERNATIONAL AGENDA

The WARWF builds on the momentum generated by the 9th World Water Forum held in Dakar in 2022—the first ever organized in Sub-Saharan Africa—which resulted in the adoption of the African Blue Deal.

The Forum also aligns with the African Union's designation of 2026 as the "Year of Water" in Africa and with preparations for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, scheduled from 8 to 10 December 2026 in Abu Dhabi.

The WARWF will serve as a strategic platform for consolidating West Africa's common position ahead of this major global event.