Tunis, December 18-19, 2025
Strengthening the coordinated governance of transboundary groundwater resources and consolidating the ITTAS consultation, gathered representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) as well as UNESCO and UNEP (online), within the framework of the 3rd meeting of the Iullemeden–Taoudéni/Tanezrouft Aquifer System (ITTAS) Consultation Mechanism, organized by the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) in Tunis.
At the opening of the meeting, Mr. Nabil Ben Khatra, OSS Executive Secretary, reminded that the water resources of the Niger Basin and the ITTAS aquifer system, which support the livelihoods of millions of people, are under increasing pressure due to intensified use, development demands, and climate variability. He stressed that regional cooperation is now a strategic necessity to ensure the sustainable and equitable management of these shared resources.
He also highlighted the major achievements of the NB-ITTAS project, including the strengthening of hydrogeological knowledge, the development of a shared vision through the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and the Strategic Action Program (SAP), as well as progress made in groundwater governance. In this regard, he stressed the central role of the ITTAS Consultation Mechanism, designed as a permanent framework for dialogue, coordination and decision-making among the countries sharing the aquifer system, and the importance of establishing the Transitional Coordination Unit, hosted by the OSS, to make sure countries sustain dialogue and consolidate regional cooperation.
The meeting contributes to updating the roadmap for operationalizing the ITTAS Consultation Mechanism, examining the transitional phase, and coming up with ideas and options for joint governance of surface and groundwater. These exchanges support the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and contribute to strengthening water resilience across the territories.
This process of consultation makes it possible for the OSS to reaffirm its commitment, alongside its member countries and technical and financial partners, to promoting knowledge-based, coordinated and sustainable management of transboundary water resources in the Sahara-Sahel region.