As Monrovia Hosts Regional Water Governance Talks
Monrovia, Liberia – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Mano River Union (MRU), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) signed a historic agreement on Tuesday to cooperatively manage shared river basins in the MRU sub-region, marking a significant step toward averting future water conflicts and bolstering regional integration.
In order to validate the legal framework establishing the Transboundary Water Basins Management Office of the Mano River Union (TWBMO–MRU), policymakers, legislators, water experts, and development partners from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire convened for a high-level, three-day regional workshop in Monrovia.
The new model seeks to turn shared rivers long susceptible to population increase, climate stress, and conflicting demands for development into instruments for collaboration, long-term peace, and sustainable development. The TWBMO-MRU will offer a legally binding framework for the sub-region’s coordinated management of transboundary waters when it is approved.
Speaking at the launch, Ama Gborie Foday, MRU Deputy Secretary General for Economic Development and Regional Integration, emphasized that the project is more than just a technical exercise and that it represents a shared political will to protect shared water resources for future generations.
“Water knows no borders,” Madam Foday said, pointing out that shared rivers might quickly turn into hotspots for conflict rather than pillars of solidarity in the absence of robust institutional and legal protections.
The proposed office builds on decades of regional commitments, including the 1998 Ouagadougou Declaration, ECOWAS water governance policies and a 2008 decision to establish transboundary basin organizations across West Africa. These efforts were further advanced through feasibility studies and consultations conducted between 2018 and 2019 in Abidjan and Conakry.
Opening the workshop on behalf of the Liberian government, Wynitta K. Gwaikolo, Director of the Liberia Hydrological Service at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, said the initiative represents a critical milestone in regional integration and sustainable development.
“As climate change and population growth intensify pressure on our shared waters, failure to manage them collectively could turn cooperation into conflict,” she said, adding that the new office provides a peaceful and sustainable framework for managing shared resources.
Dr. Nathaniel B. Walker, ECOWAS Political Advisor in Liberia, praised Liberia for hosting the event and reiterated ECOWAS’ commitment to guaranteeing the quick and efficient operationalization of the TWBMO-MRU, hailing the meeting as a turning point for regional collaboration.
In line with the Ouagadougou Declaration and the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on Integrated Water Resources Management, he said the proposed organization will not only strengthen integration within the MRU but also act as a model for transboundary water governance throughout West Africa.
The workshop runs through December 18, with participants expected to finalize and endorse the document.
