A major step toward strengthening regional cooperation in water resource governance was achieved on Wednesday, December 18, 2025, in Monrovia, as participants at a three-day regional validation workshop adopted a final communiqué calling for the establishment and operationalization of a Mano River Union (MRU) Trans boundary Water Nucleic Acid Management Office.
The workshop, held from December 16–18 in Monrovia under the NUVAD-X framework, brought together government officials, technical experts, and development partners to review institutional, technical, and financial challenges related to trans boundary water management within the MRU basin.
At the close of deliberations, participants issued a set of far-reaching recommendations aimed at enhancing regional coordination, mobilizing international financing, and ensuring sustainable and inclusive governance of shared water resources.
Among the key recommendations is a strong call on Liberia and Guinea to accelerate accession to the 1992 Water Convention, a move participants said would help create an enabling institutional environment for attracting external funding and strengthening legal cooperation on shared water resources.
The communiqué also urges the MRU General Secretariat, in collaboration with member states, to undertake broad-based information, awareness, and outreach campaigns to promote public ownership of the legal texts establishing the Trans boundary Water Nucleic Acid Management Office.
To improve scientific monitoring and data-driven decision-making, the workshop recommended the establishment of a Water Resource Observatory once the new office becomes fully operational and financially self-sustaining.
Recognizing transitional constraints, participants further proposed an interim administrative arrangement, recommending that the MRU Secretary temporarily appoint an expert to lead the project to formulate the office, ensuring continuity and effective operational take-off.
Other recommendations include linguistic harmonization between the French and English versions of the legal texts to avoid inconsistencies, as well as submitting the draft instruments to sectoral ministers of the concerned countries for formal approval.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, MRU Deputy Secretary General, Madam Ama Gborie Foday, praised the quality of engagement over the three days, describing the process as “highly consultative” and expressing confidence that the outcome would lead to ministerial scrutiny.
“It’s been a brilliant three days. I have a good feeling that this will be a strong document we can confidently present to our ministers,” thanking delegates, facilitators, and partners for their commitment,” he added.
However, participants also expressed deep appreciation to the Government and people of Liberia for their warm hospitality, as well as to technical and financial partners for their sustained support to regional water governance efforts.
The workshop concluded with a renewed pledge by MRU member states to work in solidarity and shared responsibility toward the effective operationalization of the MRU Trans boundary Water Basin Management framework, seen as critical to regional stability, development, and sustainable water use.
