By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government has called for enhanced hydrodiplomacy, regional cooperation and strategic investments to tackle shared water, climate, environmental and development challenges in the Niger and Lake Chad Basins.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, made the call at the ongoing Regional Conference on Hydrodiplomacy, Gender and Strategic Investments for Peace, Stability and Shared Prosperity in Transboundary Basins in Abuja.
Utsev said the conference provided an important platform for advancing sustainable water resources management, strengthening climate resilience and promoting peaceful development across the region.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening partnerships with the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), ECOWAS, governments, development partners, financial institutions, civil society organisations and communities.
According to him, in a statement by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan, such partnerships are particularly important in areas including water supply and sanitation, ecosystem restoration and climate adaptation.
The minister also called for stronger collaboration between the NBA and LCBC, urging participants to translate the conference’s outcomes into concrete actions capable of promoting peace, stability, resilience and shared prosperity across the region.
Speaking at the conference, the Executive Secretary of the NBA, Mr. Kocou Houanye, said the meeting would help deepen regional cooperation in addressing climate change, insecurity and conflicts over natural resources.
Houanye said it would also promote regional integration and strategic investments, noting 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.
The Executive Secretary of the LCBC, Amb. Ibrahim Babani, highlighted the Commission’s efforts to strengthen evidence-based water management.
Babani also stressed the need for greater participation of women and young people in water diplomacy, peacebuilding and innovation.
The Representative of German Cooperation (GIZ), Mrs. Hanna Albrecht, commended Nigeria, the NBA and LCBC for sustaining regional cooperation.
She said the interconnected challenges of climate change, pressure on natural resources, insecurity and threats to livelihoods required coordinated and community-focused responses.
Albrecht reaffirmed GIZ’s readiness to support basin organisations and member states through technical expertise, institutional cooperation and community participation.
Earlier, the representative of Germany and the European Union, Dr. Karin Jansen, reaffirmed support for the NBA and LCBC.
She stressed the importance of strong institutions, reliable information, community participation and ownership by member states in promoting transboundary cooperation, peace and sustainable development.
The Representative of the National Focal Structure of the NBA in Nigeria, Mrs. Angela Keyede, said the conference provided an opportunity to strengthen cooperation on water resources management, climate resilience, peace and security, population movement and sustainable development.
The conference has brought together representatives of governments, basin organisations, development partners, financial institutions, civil society organisations, the private sector and community stakeholders to deliberate on practical measures for strengthening regional cooperation, mobilising strategic investments and promoting peace and shared prosperity across the Niger and Lake Chad Basins.
The conference, which commenced on Monday, is expected to end on Wednesday, with participants expected to deliberate further on key issues and develop actionable outcomes for enhanced cooperation and sustainable development across the transboundary basins.