Regional Steering Committee

Ensure synergy in the implementation of activities

The 3rd session of the Regional Steering Committee (RSC) of the project «Conservation of ecosystems and water resources management» was held on April 9, 2019, in Freetown, under the chairmanship of Dr. Edward H. SANDY, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Republic of Sierra Leone. During the RSC meeting, the Executing Agencies were urged to work with partners in the different landscapes to ensure synergy in the implementation of activities in the coordinated work plan.

IUCN performs the 1st Supervision Mission

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), implementing agency for the Mano River Union Conservation of ecosystems and water resources management Project, conducted a Supervision mission from 1st  to 5th  April, 2019, in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This was the first supervision mission since the launch of the project in July 2017. The mission ended with the signing of an Aide Memoire between the MRU Secretariat and IUCN.

Establishment of platforms for basins (Cavally, Makona and Kolenté)

The consultative platforms for the water users of the Cavally, Makona and Kolenté basins were established on June 14th, 20th and 25th, 2019 in Lola, Gueckedou and Kindia Prefectures, respectively. The establishment of these structures is an essential step that will provide the framework for a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) study of the region and to formulate a Strategic Action Program (SAP) for the integrated management of shared resources in the transboundary priority basins of the region of the Mano River Union.

Liberia / Establishment of the local consultative committee of Gola National Park.

The administrative authorities of Gola Konneh District, Grand Cape Mount County, established the local consultative committee of Gola National Park on Monday, March 04, 2019 in Than Town.

Cote d’Ivoire / Balance sheet for the first semester of 2019 of the GEF Mano river project

On Thursday, July 18, 2019, the collaborators of the Minister of Water and Forests of Côte d’Ivoire were presented with a progress report on the status of the project for 2019. Proposals to address specific challenges to the project implementation were presented to the National Executing Agency.

Côte d’Ivoire / Establishment of the Office of the Local Consultative Committee for the Mount Nimba Forest Landscape.

Following the identification of the local actors of the forest landscape of Mount Nimba which took place from August 22 to 31, 2018, the GEF Mano Project National Coordination Unit set up a Local Consultative Committee on 8 June 2019 in Danané. The committee is an addition to the seven (7) committees already established in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

7th General Assembly of ANBO

The 7th General Assembly of the African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO) was held in Tunis from 2 to 5 July 2019 with support from the UNDP / GEF project. The objective of the General Assembly, was the adoption of a new approach that will strengthen ANBO to serve as a service organization for its members and partners in the five priority areas defined by its members: institutional capacity-building, sharing information and knowledge management, sustainable financing, groundwater management and climate change.

Three advances towards cross-border collaboration between Guinea and Liberia

On the 5th and 6th, February 2019, stakeholders from the Ziama-Wonegizi-Wologizi (ZWW) Transboundary Forest Landscape  worked tirelessly towards the preparation and adoption of  critical instruments for transboundary forest governance and management. These include: a high-level bilateral Framework Agreement between the Governments of Liberia and Guinea; a Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Cooperation between the Conservation Department of the Liberia Forest Development Authority (FDA) and the N’Zérékoré Forestry Center (CFZ) of Guinea and Terms of reference for members of the Bilateral Steering Committee.

5th Global Environment Facility (GEF) Regional Workshop

The GEF – Mano project Coordinator attended the 5th Global Environment Facility (GEF) Regional Workshop on International Water Projects in Africa (IW) from 27 to 31 May 2019, in Gaborone, Botswana. The overall objective of the workshop was to build capacity and awareness within GEF IW projects and partners.

Regional Training: «How to use the two global water conventions to advance cross-border cooperation in the field»

In Dakar, Senegal, a training workshop was organized by the Secretariat of the Water Convention from 18 to 19 June 2019. The training provided the platform for participants to share their practical experiences in water cooperation in order to find ways to work more effectively and forge closer partnerships that aims to promote, implement and also join the two global framework agreements.

Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR)

ROAM/ Starting the Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) Process

Since the capacity building workshop on the Restoration Opportunity Assessment Methodology (ROAM) and Forest Landscape Restoration (RPF) in the Mano River Union, held from 25 February to 1 March 2019 in Monrovia, Liberia, the national consultants with support from the international experts, has commenced the realization of the degradation and restoration maps However, they are yet to quantify the areas concerned and complete the opportunities map. This phase should be completed by end September 2019, in order to allow international experts to produce the different Transboundary maps to adjust the forest landscape restoration strategy in the Mano River Union.