The 12th Partners’ Assembly of GWP-WA marked a significant milestone with the official launch of the Manual of Best Practices for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the UEMOA region—a comprehensive tool designed to advance water governance and deepen regional collaboration across West Africa.
Presented by K. Armand HOUANYE, former Executive Secretary of GWP-WA, the manual is the outcome of a two-year participatory process (2023–2025) conducted within the framework of the UEMOA IWRM Action Program 2019–2030. The publication compiles 33 documented best practices from all eight UEMOA member states, featuring 20 national and local innovations in governance, financing, and management tools, along with seven transboundary experiences led by basin organizations that demonstrate effective cross-border cooperation. Now accessible online, the manual is positioned as a strategic reference to accelerate IWRM implementation at the local, national, and regional levels.
Speaking on behalf of the UEMOA Commission, Ms. Hubertine ASSOGBA/BATOM-ATIYODI emphasized that the manual aims to strengthen water security by capitalizing on proven initiatives, promoting political commitment, mobilizing stakeholder engagement, and supporting the development of operational management and financing mechanisms. She highlighted that several of the initiatives included were presented at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali in 2024, underscoring their global relevance.
Technical and financial partners such as UNEP-DHI and the Royal Netherlands Embassy commended the manual as a timely and valuable resource for consolidating progress in the sector. They encouraged national ownership and the use of the manual to attract funding, particularly climate finance, through the Manuel GIRE UEMOA framework.
More than a publication, the manual represents a catalyst for cooperation and resilience-building in West Africa’s water sector. It supports a shared regional agenda focused on strengthening water governance, enhancing climate resilience, and promoting transboundary solidarity. The manual will also serve as a key reference leading up to the next major milestone—the West Africa Regional Water Forum (FREAO), set to take place in 2026 in Abidjan.
