He takes over from Sylvain Guebanda, who has served the maximum two terms as regional chair from 2019 to 2023. Mr. Herve Didas Amboulou emerged first in the chair recruitment process, pending the endorsement of the regional steering committee and the General Assembly of partners as stated in the bylaws.
The recruitment process report was presented for validation at the December 7th–8th steering committee meeting. With the approval of the report by the SC members, the former chair of the Republic of Congo Country Water Partnership (GWP-Congo) was officially recognized as the new chair, pending the endorsement of the General Assembly. During the handover ceremony at the hybrid general assembly meeting, the outgoing chair urged Herve Didas to continue GWP’s mission of promoting sustainable development through good water governance and inclusive climate-resilient actions.
In his first address to the steering committee, the new chair applauded the members and the regional secretariat for the work that has been done so far to foster an inclusive and integrated approach to water management in Central Africa. He also expressed his gratitude for the support for his candidacy while assuring members of his dedication to providing innovative solutions to current challenges and ongoing projects within the organization.
Herve Didas Amboulou is a Congolese by nationality and holds a master’s in management of infrastructure and services, specializing in water and sanitation. In the Republic of Congo, he is currently serving as the Interim General Manager of the Water Sector Development Fund (FDSE) of the Ministry of Energy and Water. He also serves as the focal point of the Water Convention (UNECE) in the Republic of Congo. He comes into his new function from GWP-Congo, where he served as country chair for a little over four years until his selection as regional chair.