After the conference of water ministers on IWRM in March 1998, West Africa adopted a regional plan for integrated management of water resources (RAP/ IWRM / WA). This plan is an essential component of the regionalwater resources policy.
At the end of the West African Water Ministers Conference on IWRM (WAC/ IWRM) on 3 to 5 March 1998 in Ouagadougou, a consensus document called "Ouagadougou Declaration" was made public. It is considered as the commitment of ECOWAS for the implementation of IWRM in the region.
GWP-WA was officially established on March 22, 2002 during General Assembly in Bamako (Mali).
The Partnership is an autonomous association, non-lucrative, apolitical and non-religious, formed into a regional network of partners interested in the promotion of IWRM.
Global Water Partnership West Africa (GWP-WA) shares the vision of the GWP network which is for "a water secure world" with a mission to support countries in the sustainable development and management of water resources at all levels.
Water resources in the CEE region are important for the development of its countries, providing water for consumption, sanitation, irrigation, industrial use, navigation, fishing, recreation, and other purposes.
The partners of the water sector in West Africa agreed to establish among themselves, the GlobalWater Partnership of West Africa, in English "GWP / West Africa" and whose official abbreviation is "GWP / WA", and GWP West Africa, "GWP AO" in French. GWP-WA is the regional branch of the Global Water Partnership (GWP)