West African ministers have reaffirmed their commitment to Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), adopting strategic resolutions in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to strengthen regional water governance and protect the region from climate change.

The strategic decisions adopted in Abidjan have shifted how West African nations view water as not merely a natural resource but as a strategic asset for regional integration, economic transformation, human security and sustainable development.

The Sixth Ordinary Session of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee on IWRM was backed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS).

Leaders and stakeholders established a high-level platform to assess progress on implementing regional commitments, review emerging challenges affecting shared water resources, and define strategic priorities for the next phase of regional cooperation in the water sector.

Amin Amidu Sulemani, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, stressed the importance of water in ensuring regional stability, food security, energy production, and socio-economic transformation.

Mr Sulemani added that worsening climate-related shocks, rapid population growth, and competing demands on water resources require a strong framework for deeper regional cooperation in managing shared water systems.

Chairing the session, Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, Minister of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of Senegal and President of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), said water governance has become a ‘strategic imperative’ for regional integration. 

He also urged states to unite behind a common regional voice to advance the African Water Vision 2063 and prepare for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.

Regional institutions, technical and financial partners, and stakeholder representatives helped contribute resolutions to the committee.

Representatives of the WAEMU Commission reiterated the importance of water governance to support broader development and integration objectives in the region. 

Speaking on behalf of technical and financial partners, Burkina Faso’s Head and Head of Programmes / Country Director for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Professor Jacques Somda, called for the urgent need for investments to improve innovative financing mechanisms and promote nature-based solutions capable of enhancing resilience while protecting ecosystems and livelihoods. 

Chairperson of the Sub-Regional Consultative Council on Water Resources, Dr Boluwaji Onobolu, called for stronger stakeholder engagement and urged greater participation by women, youth, and civil society groups in shaping the future of regional water governance.

Building on recommendations submitted by the 13th Ordinary Session of the Technical Experts Committee, leaders endorsed a comprehensive set of strategic actions covering the revision of the West African Water Resources Policy, the operationalisation of the African Water Vision 2063 at regional level, and the strengthening of water information and knowledge systems.

They also endorsed promoting sustainable financing mechanisms, institutionalising the West Africa Regional Water Forum (FREAO), and strengthening regional cooperation to address transboundary water pollution and other emerging environmental challenges affecting shared river basins.

The meeting further reaffirmed the importance of evidence-based decision-making, stronger accountability mechanisms, and enhanced coordination among Member States, river basin organisations, regional institutions, and development partners to deliver tangible results across West Africa.

The ministerial deliberations followed the 13th Ordinary Session of the Technical Experts Committee, held on Monday and Tuesday, during which experts and development partners reviewed progress on implementing the regional IWRM agenda and formulated recommendations for ministerial consideration. 

The outcomes of both meetings will directly inform deliberations at the First West Africa Regional Water Forum (FREAO), which is scheduled for 24 to 25 September in Abidjan under the theme “Valuing Water to Transform West Africa.”

The landmark meeting will help ministers advance a more coordinated framework for water governance, recognise water as a catalyst for regional integration, climate resilience, shared prosperity, and the achievement of the aspirations embodied in ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the African Union Agenda 2063.