Mékrou Project: working to implement the Framework agreement

A GWP delegation including the Coordinator, the Project manager and by the chair met with the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) Executive Secretary and some her colleagues on May 10, 2016. The discussions focused on how to start the implementation of the framework agreement for the promotion of political dialogue in the Mékrou tranboundary river basin signed in December 2015 by the three countries. To start with it was sugggested that the issue be included in the agenda of the next NBA council of ministers.

Discussions were made on how the various parties (GWP and NBA) could support each other to carry out appropriately the activities related to the follow up of the implementation. A road map will be devloped including the milestones. NBA will set up a small team to follow up and guide the implementation of the Framework agreement, a bilateral agreement will be signed on this specific issue that the Mékrou Project will have to support.

It was also agreed that a copy of the Framework agreement signed should be transmitted to the Regional coordination of the users of the basin resources (CRU-BN). Copies were handed over to the delegations of the other NBA countries (Chad, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Mali) during the next NBA Extraordinary council of Ministers held in Abuja from 26 May to June 1, 2016.