23 January 2010: The eighth World General Assembly of the International Basin Organizations Network was held in Dakar, Senegal, from 20-23 January 2010, and brought together over 260 water experts from 41 countries to focus on effective management of Africa’s 59 trans-frontier river basins and the positive economic benefits of harnessing their waters for hydropower and irrigation.
The meeting aimed to define the most suitable concerted actions needed for adapting the management of basins of local, national and transboundary rivers, lakes and aquifers, as well as of related coastal waters, to the consequences of climate change on the hydrological cycles. Delegates reaffirmed that freshwater resources are limited and threatened worldwide, and that their better governance, respectful of the environment, is key to sustainable development.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Declaration of Dakar, in which delegates recognize that, inter alia: integrated and sound water resources management is more than ever an unquestionable priority when this scarce resource is already a limiting factor for sustainable development in many countries of the world; unprecedented mobilization is essential for humanity to win the water battle and prepare the future; and organizing this management on a basin scale is an effective solution that deserves to be developed, fostered and supported. [Meeting Website] [Final Resolutions] [Declaration of Dakar]