On the sidelines of the Tenth Session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention (MOP 10), ministers responsible for water resources in The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Senegal convened to take a significant step toward enhancing regional cooperation over the Senegal-Mauritania Aquifer Basin (SMAB).
Building on the Ministerial Declaration on the SMAB, adopted in Geneva on 29 September 2021, the four countries' Regional Working Group (RWG), with support from international partners, has been implementing actions to make transboundary cooperation over the SMAB effective. These actions include mobilizing funds to implement a regional programme and initiating negotiations on a legal and institutional framework to formalize cooperative management of the aquifer.
During this high-level session, the ministers reaffirmed the strategic importance of the SMAB for current and future regional stability, social cohesion, and climate resilience. The aquifer is a crucial source of water for approximately 80% of the population in the four countries, representing an invaluable resource in their adaptation to the impacts of climate change.
The ministerial session in Ljubljana also provided an opportunity to take stock of substantial funding pledges-totaling USD 14 million-dedicated to implementing the vision for sustainable and resilient management of the SMAB. Additionally, the ministers welcomed the preliminary draft agreement on SMAB governance, developed with support from the United Nations Water Convention Secretariat, hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. They tasked the RWG Secretariat with officially presenting the draft agreement to member states, initiating the negotiation process, with the goal of finalizing the agreement for adoption at the United Nations Water Conference in 2026.
Covering an area of 331,450 km² and serving an estimated population of over 20 million people, the SMAB is critical to the region's climate resilience and development. Enhanced cooperation over this resource will help riparian countries address the needs of their growing populations, empower women, and support essential sectors, including agriculture and the economic activities reliant on it.
