(APS) – The High Commissioner of the organization for the development of the Senegal River (OMVS), Mohamed Abdel Vetah, invited, on Monday, African states to strengthen their cooperation in the management of cross-border basins, through the development of training in hydro-diplomacy.
”(…) to help strengthen this cooperation, it is important to develop training in hydro-diplomacy in Africa, training intended for future diplomats involved in the management of cross-border water resources in Africa,” he said. he declares.
Mr. Vetah chaired a regional workshop on hydro-diplomacy and transboundary water governance in West and Central Africa, in the presence of several representatives of transboundary basin governance bodies.
This workshop aims to contribute to strengthening capacities for collaborative management of transboundary waters in West and Central Africa.
According to him, it becomes imperative that African countries implement similar programs, drawing inspiration from successful experiences such as those of the United States or Switzerland.
For example, he noted, “transforming water management and the tensions it can cause into a factor of rapprochement and responsibility is a challenge of the blue diplomacy advocated by Switzerland ”.
However, he praised the leadership of Senegal for its pioneering role in hydro-diplomacy through various initiatives on a global and African scale.
He noted that cross-border cooperation nevertheless remains fragile, although cooperation agreements and mechanisms exist in several large basins.
The OMVS High Commissioner pointed out that the sharing of increasingly precious water resources risks becoming a Source of major tensions and conflicts in the coming years.
”A close retroactive collaboration between countries sharing these resources becomes crucial, on the one hand, to prevent conflict and on the other hand, to optimize the use of these resources in order to strengthen in a peaceful, equitable and sustainable manner the security of the continent,” he argued.
Mr. Vetah maintained that the joint management of the Senegal River by the OMVS has enabled peaceful collaboration on numerous projects for the benefit of local populations.
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