President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania has proposed the establishment of a regional development bank to facilitate the mobilization of resources regarding the Senegal River Basin – a river system stretching across the countries of Guinea-Conakry, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal.
River management entity the Senegal River Basin Development Authority (OMVS) would use this bank as a financial arm to improve water management in the Senegal river basin.
Established in 1972, the OMVS is responsible for the integrated and coordinated management of water resources and ecosystems in the basin. Its aim is to protect the Senegal River, its tributaries and their catchment basins while addressing a variety of issues, including hydropower, navigation, drinking water and sanitation development, transportation, rural development, mining and industry.
To date, OMVS-implemented infrastructure provides 60% of Dakar’s drinkable water. In the cities of Nouakchott and Saint Louis, this figure rises to 100%.
Furthermore, infrastructure created and managed by the OMVS generates 800 GWh of clean, inexpensive energy each year and provides 375,000 hectares of potential irrigable land. Through the regional bank, the OMVS would be better equipped to manage resources effectively and fairly, ensuring each country benefits from the shared resources.
