“Our two main rivers, the Rio Geba and the Rio Corubal, are shared with Senegal and Guinea. 80% of the drinking water available to the population of Bissau comes from a shared aquifer, the Bassin Aquifère Sénégalo Mauritanien. Cooperation with our neighbouring countries is therefore crucial”, stressed the Minister of Natural Resources of Guinea Bissau, Malam Sambu, in a national workshop on the validation of the national implementation plan of the Water Convention, taking place this week in Bissau. 

In a context of increasing pressure on water resources due to the impacts of climate change, pollution and growing urbanization, Guinea Bissau is currently facing a number of challenges when it comes to the sustainable management of water resources. The need to strengthen quantitative and qualitative monitoring of water resources to prevent, control and reduce possible transboundary impacts is one of them. The importance of revitalizing the water governance system at the national and transboundary levels, through updated legal frameworks and reinforced institutions, is another. 

To address these challenges the authorities, under the leadership of the Ministry of Natural Resources, validated a national implementation plan of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention, serviced by UNECE).  

Following its accession in 2021 and further supported by pioneering cooperation on the Senegalo-Mautiranian Aquifer Basin, Guinea Bissau has moved forward with the implementation of the Convention and kickstarted in February 2024 the development of a national implementation plan of the Convention, with the support of the Water Convention secretariat. The exercise enabled the country to identify current gaps and challenges in implementing the Convention's obligations, as well as opportunities, covering legal, administrative, economic, social and environmental aspects. 

The main sectoral ministries and technical and financial partners active in the country took part in the discussion, making this workshop an important milestone in the implementation of the Water Convention. 

Mr. Mahamane Touré, from the Water Resources Management Center (CGRE) of ECOWAS, also recalled that “the ratification and implementation of the Water Convention is an opportunity for all countries. In West Africa, with the exception of Cabo Verde, all states share at least one catchment area with their neighbours, and ECOWAS, through the CGRE, is supporting states to better manage their transboundary water resources. 

Minister Sambu pointed out that the national implementation plan could be used to explore the technical and financial support that could be mobilized, thus confirming the catalytic role of the Water Convention.  

The workshop was also an opportunity to hear from technical and financial partners active in the country and in the region, such as the UN system, the European Union, Portugal, and the regional office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.  

The technical and financial partners presented their ongoing projects and activities related to the water sector in Guinea Bissau and expressed their interest in supporting certain thematic axes of the implementation plan. Close collaboration between ministries, particularly between the Ministry of Natural Resources and those in charge of finance and planning, was also highlighted as a crucial dimension. 

Ms. Geneviève Boutin, the UN Resident Coordinator, highlighted that “Water, as a resource, is central to development, human dignity and regional cooperation.” 

The support provided by the Water Convention Secretariat to Guinea-Bissau for the development of its implementation strategy and action plan was made possible through the financial contributions of Portugal, Germany, and the European Union. Additionally, ECOWAS and UNICEF have played a key role in supporting the organization of technical meetings and consultations. This collaboration highlights the Water Convention’s ability to mobilize partners in support of countries’ efforts to enhance the sustainable management of their shared water resources. 

Photo credit: UNDP

Source : UNECE