FG seeks stronger water diplomacy in Niger, Lake Chad Basins

From Charity Nwakaudu,Abuja

The Federal Government has called for stronger water diplomacy, regional cooperation and strategic investments to tackle shared water, climate, environmental and development challenges in the Niger and Lake Chad Basins.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, made the call yesterday at the Regional Conference on Hydrodiplomacy, Gender and Strategic Investments for Peace, Stability and Shared Prosperity in Transboundary Basins in Abuja.

Utsev said the conference provided a platform to advance sustainable water resources management, climate resilience and peaceful development across the region.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), ECOWAS, development partners, financial institutions, civil society organisations and communities.

The minister said the collaboration would focus on water supply and sanitation, ecosystem restoration and climate adaptation.

He also urged stronger cooperation between the NBA and LCBC, stressing the need to translate the conference’s resolutions into concrete actions capable of promoting peace, stability, resilience and shared prosperity.

Executive Secretary of the NBA, Kocou Houanye, said the conference would deepen regional cooperation in tackling climate change, insecurity and natural-resource conflicts, while promoting regional integration and strategic investments.

Houanye disclosed that physical implementation of the Integrated Development and Climate Change Adaptation Programme in the Niger Basin (PIDACC) had reached 48.3 per cent, while financial implementation stood at 57 per cent.

Similarly, Executive Secretary of the LCBC, Amb. Ibrahim Babani, said the commission was strengthening evidence-based water management, stressing the need for greater participation of women and youths in water diplomacy, peacebuilding and innovation.

Representative of German Cooperation (GIZ), Hanna Albrecht, said climate change, pressure on natural resources, insecurity and threats to livelihoods required coordinated and community-focused responses.

She reaffirmed GIZ’s readiness to support the basin organisations and member states through technical expertise, institutional cooperation and community participation.

Also, representative of Germany and the European Union, Dr Karin Jansen, reaffirmed support for the LCBC and NBA, stressing the importance of strong institutions, reliable information, community participation and member-state ownership in promoting transboundary cooperation and sustainable development.

Representative of the National Focal Structure of the NBA in Nigeria, Angela Keyede, said the conference offered an opportunity to strengthen cooperation on water resources management, climate resilience, peace and security, population movement and sustainable development.

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