ABIDJAN, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Abidjan, the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, will host the first West Africa Regional Water Forum on Sept. 24-25, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced Monday.
The high-level event, themed "Valuing Water to Transform West Africa," aims to adopt a regional roadmap to guide policies on the sustainable management and development of water resources.
Alexis Kouassi, director of the ECOWAS Water Resources Management Center, told a press conference that the initiative seeks to bring stakeholders together and transcend national boundaries to ensure the sustainable management of water resources.
Ivorian Minister of Water and Forests Jacques Assahore Konan said that West Africa shares 28 transboundary river basins covering nearly 71 percent of its territory, making cooperation among countries a strategic necessity.
"Water should no longer be regarded as a constraint, but as a driving force behind the transformation of our agricultural, energy, industrial and social sectors," Konan said, adding that Cote d'Ivoire has made integrated water resources management a key pillar of its environmental policy.
The two-day forum will bring together policymakers, experts, technical and financial partners, and representatives from civil society organizations and the private sector. ■