Olumide AkinsolaUNEP/GEF Volta River Basin Project

Addressing Transboundary Concerns in the Volta River Basin and its Downstream Coastal Area

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• Project title: Addressing Transboundary Concerns in the Volta River Basin and its Downstream Coastal Area

• Regional initiative of the Volta River Basin within the six riparian countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Togo.

Introduction

• Three Specific Objectives:– Specific Objective n° 1: Build capacity, improve

knowledge and enhance stakeholders’ involvement to support the effective management of the VRB

– Specific Objective n° 2: Develop river basin legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks and management instruments for addressing transboundary concerns in the Volta River Basin and its downstream coastal area

– Specific Objective n° 3: Demonstrate national and regional measures to combat transboundary environmental degradation in the Volta Basin.

Introduction

►Enhance countries ability : plan/manage

►Ensure effective management

►Regional institutional frameworks

►Legal and regulatory frameworks

►Develop National/regional priorities

Project long term objective

Equitable and sustainable management of water and associated

natural resources

►VBA – Ministers: Water & Environment

►Implementing Agency: UNEP/DGEF

►Executing agencies: UNOPS, UCC Water

►Project Steering Committee (PSC)

►Project Management Unit (PMU)

►Project Task Force (PTF)???

►National project body: NFP and NIC

Institutional framework: key components

Key Project Results

• Specific objective 1

• Establish the Project Management and Coordination mechanism with VBA

• Identify and fill training gaps: IRB/TDA/SAP process

• Develop stakeholders involvement plan

• Dev. information exchange mechanism

• Support establishment of VB Observatory

Specific Objective n° 1: Build capacity, improve knowledge and enhance stakeholders’ involvement to support the effective management of the VRB

Key Project Results

• Specific objective 2

• Aimed to finalize and agree on a geographically specific, quantitative TDA ; development of SAP and the APNP-VRB

• National TDA report finalized and validated

• 4 Regional Thematic reports on water resources, ecosystems, governance analysis and economic status completed by TDA regional experts (long delays)

• Regional TDA Document drafted• SAP Delayed, now commencing-TORs

posted on internet.

Specific Objective n° 2: Develop river basin legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks and management instruments for addressing transboundary concerns in the Volta River Basin and its downstream coastal area

Key Project Results

• Specific objective 3 ► Joint management of a flow release

warning system in the Sourou river valley (Mali – Burkina Faso)

► Installing and comparing technological models of waste water treatment in the Cities of Kara (Togo) and Natitingou (Benin)

► Restoring and protecting the river beds of the Black Volta and its tributaries through participative campaigns of reforestation (Côte d’Ivoire – Ghana)

Specific Objective n° 3: Demonstrate national and regional measures to combat transboundary environmental degradation in the Volta Basin.

Demo Project Challenges

Demo project 1 • Reluctant to share information

Demo Project 2 • Kara Municipality: Challenge to resettle

inhabitants along the river bank (Options proposed)

• How to deal with private sector involvement in project implementationDemo Project –Benin: Non relevance of demo project

Demo Project 3• Political situation in Cote d’Ivoire: Bilateral

meeting between Ghana & Côte d’Ivoire delayed• National Partners Capacity limited

• Reliance on consultants: Delay in submission of reports

• Resignation of consultants mid-way into activities/ Non completion on agreed assignments

• Lack of coordination/ feedback from national partners on specific issues, like MOA funding/ reporting

• Non mobilisation of national co-finance contribution• Political crisis in Côte d’Ivoire : Affected mainly the

TDA process and the Demo Project implementation.• Agreements issues: Executing and Implementation

partners

Main challenges with Project implementation

• Training of National Partners or Incentives to deliver?

• Limited Consultants to engage in TDA/SAP process

• Linking other institutional strengths in Groundwater issues to project process

• Linking Coastal issues

Priority Capacity-Building needs

Need for Collaboration

Activities Pictures

Thank you for your attention

http://gefvolta.iwlearn.org

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