Monrovia, Liberia – Participants at a three-day regional validation workshop in Monrovia have adopted a final communiqué endorsing the establishment and operationalization of the Mano River Union (MRU) Transboundary Water Basin Management Office, marking a significant milestone in regional cooperation on water resource governance. The communiqué was approved on Thursday, December 18, 2025.
The workshop, held from December 16–18, 2025 under the NUVAD-X framework, convened government officials, technical experts, and development partners from MRU Member States. Deliberations focused on institutional, technical, and financial issues affecting the sustainable management of shared transboundary water resources within the MRU basin.
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants adopted a comprehensive set of recommendations aimed at strengthening regional collaboration, mobilizing international financial support, and ensuring equitable and sustainable governance of shared water resources. Among the key recommendations is a call for Guinea and Liberia to accede to the 1992 Water Convention at the earliest opportunity. Participants noted that accession would help establish a stronger legal and institutional framework, enhance cooperation among riparian states, and attract external financing for transboundary water initiatives.
The communiqué also urges the MRU Secretariat, in collaboration with Member States, to undertake broad-based information, awareness, and outreach campaigns to promote public understanding and ownership of the legal instruments establishing the Transboundary Water Basin Management Office. To strengthen scientific monitoring and evidence-based decision-making, the workshop recommended the creation of a Water Resources Observatory once the new office becomes fully operational and financially autonomous.
Recognizing transitional capacity constraints, participants further proposed an interim administrative arrangement, whereby the MRU Secretary General would temporarily designate the MRU expert who led the establishment process to ensure continuity and a smooth operational start-up. Additional recommendations include submitting the draft legal instruments to the relevant sectoral ministers in Member States for formal approval and harmonizing the English and French versions of the texts to avoid inconsistencies.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, MRU Deputy Secretary General Madam Ama Gborie Foday expressed confidence in the outcomes of the workshop, commending the depth and quality of engagement throughout the three days. She described the process as highly consultative and noted that the resulting documents were robust and ready for ministerial consideration.
“It has been an excellent three days of constructive dialogue. I am confident that the outcome is a strong document that we can present to our ministers with assurance,” she said, while thanking delegates, facilitators, and partners for their dedication and commitment”.
Participants also expressed sincere appreciation to the Government and people of Liberia for their warm hospitality, as well as to technical and financial partners for their continued support to regional water governance efforts. As the workshop concluded, MRU Member States reaffirmed their collective commitment to cooperation and shared responsibility in operationalizing the MRU Transboundary Water Basin Management framework, which is widely regarded as critical to regional development, stability, and the sustainable use of shared water resources.
The adoption of the final communiqué in Monrovia on December 18, 2025 was described by participants as a pivotal moment in the MRU’s journey toward integrated and cooperative water resources management.
