The opening ceremony was chaired by Amadou Diallo, Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Energy and Water, in the presence of the Dutch Ambassador in Mali, Jolke Oppewal, Ms Cissé Youma Coulibaly, Coordinator of the PCA-Gire and Mamadou Sylla, chair of CWP Mali.
The main rivers and their tributaries are subjected to various sources of pressure exacerbating the phenomenon of surface water pollution in Mali. These include human and animal organic waste (domestic sewage, artisanal sewage, slaughterhouse water, dredge water), chemical and organic fertilizers, plant protection products and industrial discharges or effluents that are often uncontrolled in urban centers.
In 2017, as part of the national water resources monitoring and assessment strategy, the National Water Laboratory, Wetlands International and the National Directorate of Hydraulics carried out two campaigns to collect and analyze surface water samples during low-water and flood periods at 78 points throughout the national territory.
In addition, the Niger River Basin Agency (ABFN) and Akvo have implemented a surface water quality monitoring project in Bamako with tools such as Akvo Caddisfly and underwater drones, which measure water quality using Smartphones.
This workshop allowed participants to discuss the principles of a water abstraction network, to present in detail the method adopted, to share and discuss the results of water quality analyses, to identify the different strategies to reduce pollution, in particular that of large polluters.
H.E. Jolke Oppewal, Ambassador of the Netherlands in Mali, welcomed the workshop and highlighted its importance for integrated water resources management. Amadou Diallo, Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Energy and Water, reiterated the recognition and gratitude of the Government of Mali to the Kingdoms of Sweden and the Netherlands for their continued support to the implementation of IWRM in Mali.