The President of the Republic of The Gambia His Excellency Adama Barrow recently endorsed two ratified instruments of the Water Convention following their ratification by the National Assembly of The Gambia on the 16th March 2023.

The two signed instruments are the Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses adopted in New York on 21st May 1997 known as the 1997 Watercourses Convention, and the Convention on the Protection and Use of Trans-boundary Watercourses International Lakes done at Helsinki on the 17th March, 1992, also known as 1992 Water Convention.

According to a statement obtained from the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, the two Conventions provide an important milestone in international water cooperation on the shared surface or underground, that crosses two or more States and serve as a mechanism to strengthen international cooperation.

"They embody a number of principles on equitable and reasonable utilisation; the obligation not to cause significant harm; the general obligation to cooperate; regular exchange of data and information; protection and preservation of the aquatic environment etc.

The steps taken to become a party signal to other countries, international organisations, financial institutions, and other actors indicate the willingness of The Gambia to cooperate based on transboundary norms and standards.

The signed Instruments of Ratification, as stated, would be transmitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the United Nations Treaty Section through The Gambia Permanent Mission in New York.

Meanwhile, The Gambia would become a party after 90 (ninety) days of deposition of the Instrument of Ratification. Subsequently, an implementation strategy would then be developed with the support of the Water Convention Secretariat and other relevant partners.