West Africa: Mines, and Energy Minister Wilmot Paye Advocates for Liberia At Ecowas 5th Ordinary Session of Ministerial Meeting On Integrated Water Resources

4 July 2024
FrontPageAfrica (Monrovia)
By Gerald C Koinyeneh

Monrovia — Liberia's Mines and Energy Minister, Hon. Wilmot Paye, along with other West African ministers, concluded the Ministerial Meeting on Integrated Water Resources in Abuja, Nigeria. This event was part of President Boakai's policy of reaffirming Liberia's role within the region.

On June 28, 2024, Minister Paye attended the 5th Ordinary Sessions of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee (MMC) of ECOWAS' Integrated Water Resources Management. This meeting brought together ministers from ECOWAS member states.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy emphasized in a release the importance of Minister Wilmot Paye's participation, highlighting President Boakai's determination to project Liberia as ready for effective regional engagement and the efficient management and utilization of its natural resources. These efforts align with the policy goals articulated in the ARREST Agenda.

The Ministerial Monitoring Committee (MMC) originated from the West African Ministerial Conference on Integrated Water Resources Management, first held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in March 1998. At that time, ECOWAS member states committed to transitioning from sectoral and technocratic water resources management to integrated and participatory management, in line with the principles adopted by the Dublin Preparatory Conference in January 1992 and endorsed by UNCED in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.

Since its inception, the Ministerial Monitoring Committee has convened five times, with the Abuja meeting being the fifth session. Through these mechanisms, ECOWAS member states have adopted national integrated water resources management measures, including efforts through subregional bodies like the Mano River Union (MRU). These initiatives have played a significant role in establishing transboundary basin organizations and many other projects across the ECOWAS region.

Under IWRM, ECOWAS member states can seek support to develop a national Integrated Water Resources Management Plan, which Liberia's ongoing National Development Planning process is expected to prioritize. Participation in the 5th Ordinary Session of the MMC was an opportunity for Liberia to reassert its engagement with other member states to enhance collaboration on integrated water resources management efforts. This is critical for a country that shares many important rivers with its neighbors.

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