The GWH at the first West African Regional Water Forum (FREAO) in Abidjan
From 24 to 25 September 2026, the city of Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) hosted the very first edition of the West African Regional Water Forum (FREAO), organised by ECOWAS through its Water Resources Coordination Centre (WRCC), together with UEMOA, CILSS and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. Convened around the theme "Valuing water to transform West Africa", the Forum brought together ministers, basin organisations, technical and financial partners, researchers and civil society representatives to shape a shared regional vision on water governance.
The Geneva Water Hub was pleased to take part in this landmark event, represented by our colleague Jean Willemin, Senior Programme Manager at the Geneva Water Hub. His participation contributed to discussions on transboundary cooperation, hydrodiplomacy and the role of water as a lever for peace, stability and sustainable development — a message that strongly resonated with the Forum's ambition to make water a driver of regional integration across West Africa's 28 shared river basins.
The Forum concluded with the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration, calling for strengthened regional cooperation, increased investment mobilisation and the elaboration of a common West African position in preparation for the United Nations Water Conference 2026 in Abu Dhabi (8–10 December 2026). The next edition of the FREAO will be hosted by Cabo Verde, in Praia.
Jean Willemin's participation is also featured in the Voxafrica news coverage dedicated to the Forum (from minute 1:45), which you can watch here: Watch the Voxafrica report on Facebook.
Listen to the full coverage by West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR – Enviroscope) 👉 https://wadr.org/highlights-from-first-west-africas-inaugural-water-forum-in-abidjan-enviroscope/
The Geneva Water Hub reiterates its commitment to accompanying West African stakeholders in the implementation of the Abidjan Declaration and in advancing hydrodiplomacy as a tool for peace and cooperation, in the spirit of the Africa Union's 2026 "Year of Water".
