Strengthening Transboundary Water Cooperation in the Sahara and Sahel for a Sustainable Future

The 2024 edition of the World Water Week put focus on the water cooperation for global peace and security. Convened under the theme "Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future", the event highlighted the importance of interconnectivity between the communities and nations, and the need to work together for a peaceful and resilient future.

The session organized by the OSS on "Transboundary Water Cooperation in the Sahara and Sahel Region for a Sustainable Future" and moderated by Mr. SY Mohamedou, Water Department Director, highlighted the imperative need to cooperate for the effective management of shared groundwater resources, while promoting an integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach for a sustainable development.

This meeting was also an opportunity for Mrs Apolline Bambara, project manager at OSS, to present the achievements of the NB-ITTAS project "Improving IWRM, Knowledge-Based Management and Governance of the Niger Basin and the Iullemeden-Taoudéni / Tanezrouft Aquifer System" and to unveil the next steps of the SMAS project "Strengthening the sustainable management of the Senegalo-Mauritanian aquifer system to ensure access to water for populations facing climate change", launched in July 2024 with the support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Case studies and best practices shared by various international partners, such as UNESCO, the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), UNECE, the Senegal River Development Organization (OMVS) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), illustrated the challenges and opportunities related to data acquisition and monitoring systems, which are essential to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.5.2.

Mr. SY called upon all participants to make everything possible for a future where transboundary hydrological or aquifer basins, are managed sustainably, for the benefit of all populations.