Within the framework of the implementation of the ''Ecosystem Conservation and International Water Resources Management of the Mano River Union” project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF)', the National Protected Area Authority (NPAA) and the National Executing Agency in collaboration with the Mano River Union, Regional Executing Agency, organized on October 14, 2020, in Bo city, a training workshop to strengthen capacity of national actors.
Mr. Olumide Akinsola, Regional Consultant, in charge of conducting the TDA in the Mano River Union, explained that '' the objective of the training is to allow stakeholders to better understand the objectives and formulation methodology of the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) as recommended by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Thus, the stakeholders will be able to support the process in the national component and at the regional level’’.
The issue of the Strategic Action Plan was also addressed during this training. The first component of the training was the general introduction to the MRU area, which has 10 transboundary basins. The second is the presentation of the TDA process and the third is the process of formulating the Strategic Action Plan (SAP).
The trainer explained to stakeholders that the SAP is a negotiated environmental policy document. It defines priority areas for action and the reforms needed to address the most urgent environmental issues identified in the TDA of the MRU basins. The general objective of the PAS will be to provide to the MRU and its partners a tool for the sustainable transboundary management of the environment of the Mano River basin. The fourth component of this training was on cross-cutting issues, including governance issues, gender issues and climate change issues.
The TDA is a study that highlights the importance of the management of international waters. It will identify and assess three groups of environmental problems: problems related to the quantity of water resources, water quality and the degradation of ecosystems. It also identifies and assesses cross-cutting issues, particularly those related to governance and climate change. As part of the GEF Mano project, it will focus on the three priorities transboundary basins of the MRU, namely: the Cavally rivers (between Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Liberia), Moa / Makoa (between Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) and Great and Little Scarcies (between Guinea and Sierra Leone).
The validation at the regional level of this study (TDA) for which each country, within the framework of this GEF Mano project, has appointed a national consultant, will be effective before the end of this year 2020.
Twenty five (25) participants, including five (5) women, members of the national platforms of water users of Great & Little Scarcies river basin, National Technical Advisory Team of Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and Strategic Action Plan (SAP), Multisectoral Technical Committee, Mano River Union (MRU) and NGO in water sector and members of civil society took part in this important activity. The training, which lasted four days, from 14 to 17 October, was aimed at providing basic skills required to the national stakeholders for their active participation in the formulation of TDA /SAP of the transboundary river basins.
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