Kick-off of the Regional Workshop for the Validation of the Methodological Guide for the Mono Basin Water Charter

The Mono Basin Authority (MBA), in partnership with the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) and the Global Water Partnership West Africa (GWP-WA), today launched in Lomé the regional workshop to validate the consolidated draft report of the mission to develop the Methodological Guide for the formulation and implementation of the Mono Basin Water Charter.

This workshop marks a key milestone in the implementation of the RIWE-Mono Project (2024–2028), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which aims to strengthen governance and cross-border cooperation between Togo and Benin for the sustainable management of water resources in the Mono Basin.

Over two days, representatives from central administrations, local authorities, technical institutions, and civil society organizations from both countries will:

  • Validate the consolidated draft report, incorporating contributions from the national workshops held in September;
  • Review and enrich the Methodological Guide, which defines the key steps for drafting and applying the Water Charter;
  • Examine the Concept Note and the provisional budget for the deployment of the Charter development phase.

The workshop is conducted in an interactive format, encouraging exchanges and active participation from 35 key stakeholders in the basin, including prefects, mayors, sectoral ministries, MBA, GWP-WA, and the consultant leading the mission.

Why is this workshop important?
The Mono Basin Water Charter is expected to become a strategic instrument for preventing conflicts over shared resources, promoting cross-border cooperation, and ensuring fair and sustainable water management.

The opening ceremony featured speeches by the Chair of the MBA Steering Committee, the Executive Director of MBA, and the representative of the Ministry in charge of water, highlighting the importance of this tool for ecological resilience and sustainable development in the basin.