PAGE 2014: building partnership Report on year one implementation of the Partnership for environmental governance in West Africa (PAGE) © JF Helio & N. Van Ingen © JF Helio & N. Van

CENTRAL AND WEST AFRICA PROGRAMME (PACO) Contents

An overview of the PAGE Programme...... 2 2014: Effective Start-up of the programme...... 2 Key figures...... 2 The partnership...... 3 A participatory process...... 3 Partner Institutions...... 3 Achievements...... 4 Setting up of IWRM in West Africa...... 4 Mainstreaming of the environmental dimension in river basin management...... 5 Sustainable management of ecosystem goods and services..... 6 Integrating the climate change issue in the planning process..... 7 Restoration of degraded ecosystems...... 8 Lessons learned...... 9 Publications...... 9 For more information...... 9 © JF Helio & N. Van Ingen © JF Helio & N. Van

1 An overview of the PAGE Programme

The Programme on «Partnership for environmental governance - The mainstreaming of the environmental dimension in the 2014: in West Africa (PAGE)» is a regional initiative implemented by management of the Volta, , Senegal and Mono basins; the International Union for Conservation of Nature -Central and - Sustainable management of the goods and services generated Effective West Africa Programme (IUCN-PACO) in collaboration with its by the ecosystems in the Volta, Niger, Senegal and Mono partners. It is built upon the achievements and partnerships of basins; Start-up of the the Poverty Reduction and Environmental Management Initiative - The consideration of climate change in the national and local (PREMI) which was executed from 2009 to 2013 and on other planning process in the Volta, Niger, Senegal and Mono basins; programme IUCN-PACO programmes in West Africa. The PAGE Programme aims at enhancing the implementation of environmental - The restoration of the degraded ecosystems in the Volta, Niger, On 24 March, 2014 in , policies, building the capacity of actors and achieving more Senegal and Mono basins. , the Minister of open governance of natural resources. Its main objective is to PAGE is designed to support environmental policies in West Environment and Sustainable contribute to the improvement of West African people’s living Africa. It is a five-year programme covering 2014 to 2018. Development of Burkina Faso chaired conditions through sound environmental policies and institutional It is being financed for a total amount of EURO 6,330,368. the official launching of the Programme framework. More specifically, PAGE will contribute to: The Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) has on «Environmental Governance contributed EURO 5,351,085 and the technical partners Partnership in West Africa (PAGE)». - The implementation of Integrated Water Resources EURO 979,283. Following this event which was Management (IWRM) in the Volta, Niger, Senegal and Mono attended by the programme’s partners, river basins; actions were focused on concerted planning and implementation of activities by the regional coordination and by the Unit posted in Kankan, Key figures Guinea. Year 2014 was thus marked by the establishment of a strong 1team 3 thematic areas addressed: Nearly 230 actors trained and partnership between the national IWRM, climate change and ecosystems sensitized in 2014. and regional organizations for the of members management. governance of natural resources. 10 A budget of EURO This dynamics has contributed to 800.247 institutions have joined improved transparency and increased including 5 experts 16 for 2014 with an implementation rate the partnership: participation of stakeholders to the on key thematic areas: IWRM, Regional of 80%. on-going decision process. ecosystems management, Inter‑Governmental Organizations, environmental law, communication and Basin Organizations, International Monitoring & Evaluation. Research Center, technical services of Ministries and civil society organizations.

1 PAGE 2014: building partnership - Report on year one implementation of PAGE The partnership

The implementation of the partnership-based Partner Institutions approach by PAGE in 2014 has created a great mobilization of partner institutions. These have adhered to the need for synergy in conducting common interest activities through information sharing, co-financing and the «doing it together» principle. Technical partners • National and regional coordination of basin The partnership-based approach has also contributed natural resource users to disseminating the water resource policy in West • ECOWAS - Economic Community of West Africa thus facilitating the understanding and practice African States • NDWF-Guinea - National Directorate of Water of IWRM at the regional level. and Forest of Guinea • UEMOA - West African Economic and Monetary Union • NDH-Guinea - National Directorate of Hydraulics of Guinea • CILSS - Inter-States Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel • CIFOR – Center for International Forestry A participatory process Research • VBA - Volta Basin Authority Official launching and operational planning • • GWI - Global Water Initiative workshop in order to establish strong collaboration • NBA - Niger Basin Authority relationships with regional organizations, technical • WWF - World Wildlife Fund ministries and technical and financial partners for the • GWP/WA - Global Water Partnership - West implementation of activities at the regional level and in Africa • RAMPAO - West Africa Protected Marine Areas Guinea. Network • NDH/Mali - National Directorate of Hydraulics/ • Meeting of partners to operationalize the partnership Mali Funding and validate all activities planned at the regional level and in Guinea. • SP/PAGIRE-BF ‐ Permanent Secretariat of the • SIDA - Swedish International Development • Working meeting with each partner for information Action Plan for Integrated Water Resources Agency sharing, participatory review of activities to be Management of Burkina Faso assigned and signing of memos that include the main implementation modalities and recommendations.

• Formalizing the collaboration with the partners by drafting and signing partnership agreements.

3 PAGE 2014: building partnership - Report on year one implementation of PAGE Achievements

Setting up of IWRM in West Africa

The ambition of the PAGE Programme is to ■ contribute to the current dynamics by further The draft guideline on the development of water infrastructure in West Africa has been involving the user in water management and validated.  Consult guideline enabling the Water Resource Coordination Center (WRCC) to assert its leadership in the The ECOWAS - WRCC, an executive body of coordination of the regional policy on water the West Africa Permanent IWRM Coordination Framework has launched in 2009, the regional resources in West Africa, more particularly in dialogue on large water infrastructure. This the Volta, Senegal, Niger and Mono dialogue has led to the establishment of a river basins. Panel of Independent Experts that made 25 © Jean-Marc Garreau recommendations on best practices together with measures covering six axes. These recommendations and measures were translated into legal terms in the form of a draft guideline on the ■ 37 male and female users of natural resources ■ 40 actors from and , representing in the Niger and Mono basins, originating from the riparian communities of reservoir sites, the central development of water infrastructure in West Africa. 10 countries, have acquired knowledge on the and local governments, civil society organizations, To validate this document, a regional workshop West Africa regional water resource policy and its the media and technical and financial partners, have was organized from 31 March to 01 April 2014 in implementation plan of action. acquired knowledge on the guidelines on large water Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso within the framework  For more information infrastructure in West Africa. For more information of a partnership between ECOWAS-WRCC, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the International Institute for Environment and ■ Contribution to the setting up of the Master 2 Degree training on “Environmental Law and Policy” Development (IIED) with the financial support of the as part of the collaboration between IUCN-PACO British (UKAid) and Swedish (SIDA) Cooperations and the Francophone Organization’s Institute for respectively through the Global Water Initiative (GWI) « For actual implementation of Integrated Sustainable Development (IFDD). and PAGE Programmes. The participants reviewed Water Resources Management, the active the draft guideline and validated it subject to the participation of all actors concerned at all levels, inclusion of the amendments made. Then, in view ■ Technical and financial support to VBA for the is required. The civil society is a key actor in development of their 2015-2019 Strategic Plan. of ensuring efficient continuation of the adoption operationalizing IWRM and cannot stay outside  For more information and implementation process of the guideline, they made a number of recommendations directed to this process. » ECOWAS. This validation will make it possible to Nouradine Zakaria TOURE, Chairman of the Regional ■ Recruitment and provision of an IWRM Planning submit the draft guideline to the ECOWAS Council of Coordination of Niger Basin Natural Resource Users (CRUBN) Director and Administrative and Finance Director for Water Ministers for adoption. VBA.

4 PAGE 2014: building partnership - Report on year one implementation of PAGE Achievements

Mainstreaming of the environmental dimension in river basin management

By building pathways for experience and ■ A Network of West African Radios for best practice sharing, PAGE is bringing Environment (RERAO) was put in place. actors together, specifically the academics,  For more information practitioners, the media, decision-makers and The setting up of a platform for exchanging radio opinion leaders. programmes as a tool for knowledge sharing and broadcasting through outreach radio stations was recommended in an IUCN-PACO study on the potential and portfolio of radios in some West African countries. IUCN-PACO, the World Wildlife Fund’s West African Marine Eco-Region Project (WAMER) and the West African Protected Marine Areas Network (RAMPAO) have established a partnership for technical and financial collaboration which gave birth to the West African Radios for Environment Network (RERAO). The Network officially started its activities during an inception workshop organized in Dakar from 28 to 30 October, 2014. Its goal is to contribute to good governance, conservation and sustainable and equitable natural resources management in West Africa through enhanced radio communication. The founding members of the network are radios representing nine (9) countries in West Africa: Radio Balafon and National Radio © JF Helio & N. Van Ingen © JF Helio & N. Van Through the RERAO, the various of Burkina Faso, Radio Morabeza of Cape Verde, « Ivoire FM and Denguele of Côte d’Ivoire, Star FM and stakeholders will outreach the populations, Brikama Community Radio of the Gambia, Radio ■ The first edition of the journalist competition using radio communications. The Network Rural Lower Guinea, Kindia and National Radio of on “Water and Environment” was organized will help capitalize on individual and collective in Guinea, Radio Lamparam Voz di Cantanhez and Voz experiences of the countries in the area of collaboration with GWP/WA. Three winners received do Rio Cacheu of Guinea Bissau, Radio Kledu and natural resources management. » prizes: 2 prizes for the best radio reports in French Radio Saghan of Mali, National Radio of Mauritania, and English and a best French press article Prize. Cayar FM, Radio Popenguine and La Côtière FM of Dr Taib DIOUF, Coordinator, GO-WAMER Project of WWF  Link to the brochure Senegal.

5 PAGE 2014: building partnership - Report on year one implementation of PAGE Achievements

Sustainable management of ecosystem goods and services

Improving the health of ecosystems and increasing the goods and services that they render would directly benefit the production systems of local societies. The communities will thus develop their resources and capacity to cope with climate change. The PAGE supports the acknowledgement of the contribution of ecosystems to agricultural production systems and to the well-being of the populations.

« The structure of the NBA member countries’ economies reveals high dependency of the productive base on the environment and natural

resources. All sectors of activity live on these Ingen © JF Helio & N. Van resources. Hence the need to step in and ensure sound management of wetlands in particular ■ A Policy Brief was developed, edited and widely ■ Advocacy action led to the adoption by the given that this is a major stake for sustainable and disseminated to raise public awareness of the NBA Council of Ministers of the Resolution on the ecologically viable development of the Niger basin importance of the goods and services rendered by roadmap for the drafting of a wetlands development countries. » ecosystems. Plan of the Niger Basin in relation with IUCN and Jean Abdias COMPAORE, NBA environmental specialist  Consult the Policy Brief in collaboration with the Ramsar Convention Secretariat.

6 PAGE 2014: building partnership - Report on year one implementation of PAGE Achievements

Integrating the climate change issue in the planning process

The consideration of adaptation to climate ■ A regional pool of 20 trainer experts change in development planning appears as on the use of TOP-SECAC put in place in Togo and Benin. an imperative nowadays for policymakers at  For more information all administrative levels. The tools developed to that effect such as the toolbox for planning, ■ TOP-SECAC Capacity Building of 20 actors of monitoring & evaluation of climate change structures in charge of development planning in adaptation capacity (TOP-SECAC) have Niger.  For more information proven to be efficient. To respond to this imperative, every country should have a critical mass of trained experts. The PAGE supports the creation of such expertise.

© UICN-Paco « The training of a sub-regional Pool of experts is indeed a major event in the mainstreaming of ■ TOP-SECAC -  Consult the toolkit the climate change dimension in socio-economic development prospects of our countries. This The TOP-SECAC toolbox is made up of a training climate change adaptation practices; initiative will help to consolidate and enhance the manual and its application guide. It aims at promoting › Build their practical capacity in the area of monitoring harmonized planning and monitoring-evaluation preparation processes of communal and regional & evaluation. mechanisms that include indicators on the capacity to development plans of our various programmes adapt to climate change in view of strengthening the The toolbox was developed within the framework of and to identify suitable actions that match the effectiveness of development plans. In more specific a collaborative project among the Regional Center capacity of our people. » terms, the aim is to: AGRHYMET/CILSS, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Sahara and Sahel Observatory His Excellency Mister Raphaël EDOU, Minister of Environment › Provide practitioners with planning and monitoring- (SSO) with the technical support of IUCN-PAC. in charge of Climate Change Management, Reforestation and evaluation tools and approaches that take account of Natural and Forest Resources Protection, Benin

7 PAGE 2014: building partnership - Report on year one implementation of PAGE Achievements

Restoration of degraded ecosystems

Sardaigne Tagus Majorque Mer TyrrhenianTaoudenni Lesbos L. Van L. Tuz Mer Caspienne Rio Guadiana Tigris Peloponnesus Taoudenni Sicily Mer Ionian Détroit de Gibraltar Mer Aegean Rhodes Euphrates Crète Ecosystems are overused, which undermines Méditerranée Sea Tigris ■ RestorationÎles Madère sites were identifiedin Guinea, , BurkinaTessalit Faso, Togo, Benin, Niger and Mali. Mer Morte their balance and their very existence. In the Euphrates R. Îles Canaries Araouane Tessalit face of this situation, PAGE has undertaken MAURITANIE Golf Nil Persique actions to reverse the current degradation MALI MAURITANIE Araouane Lac Agades Bilma trend and establish sustainable management Taoudenni Tombouctou Nasser Sénégal Gao systems of natural ecosystems. Tessalit MALI Araouane MAURITANIE Bilma Mer Rouge MALI Nil NIGERAgades Agades CAP VERT Tombouctou Tombouctou Sénégal Gao Dakar Kayes Tamba Niger Sénégal NIGER SÉNÉGAL Tahoua Gao DakarTambacoundaSÉNÉGAL Kayes Tamba Niger Tambacounda Zinder L. TChad Nil Bleu Niger Blanc Nil GAMBIE Bamako Ouagadougou Niamey Suqutra L. TChad BURKINA 5 GolfNIGER d’Aden Bobo Dioulasso Niger Tinkisso AFRIQUE Tahoua GAMBIEGUINÉE Bamako Chari GUINÉE Kankan BÉNIN NIGÉRIA Ouagadougou BISSAUKayes Tamale Parakou Dakar Milo Tamba Niger Conakry Sokode SÉNÉGAL SIERRA Sankarani LEONE CÔTE D’IVOIRE Benue BURKINA Tambacounda Lac Volta TOGO Zinder Kumasi Bobo Dioulasso

Mono 6 LIBÉRIA TinkissoGHANA Porto Novo Niamey Accra Lome Niger L. TChad GUINÉE Lac Turkana GUINÉE KankanNiger Ubangi BÉNIN NIGÉRIA GAMBIE Bamako Golf de Guinée Ouagadougou Parakou BISSAU TamaleCongo. 7 Lac Albert Milo

Ubangi Conakry 2 BURKINASokode SIERRA Sankarani Sao Tome Lac 4 Bobo Dioulasso Congo 3 CÔTE D’IVOIRE Victoria LEONE L. Kivu Tinkisso Congo Benue « To ensure the sustainability, economic GUINÉE Lac KasaiVolta TOGO profitability and resilience of ecosystems, it is GUINÉE Kankan Kumasi BÉNIN NIGÉRIA

Kasai Île Zanzibar ParakouMono BISSAU Tamale L. Tanganyika essential to maintain their balance, taking into Milo 1 GHANA Lac Conakry LIBÉRIA Mweru Porto Novo AccraSokodeLome Niger L. Malawi consideration the needs of the communities, of SIERRA Sankarani CÔTE D’IVOIRE Comores the ecosystems and water cycles as well. The LEONE Benue Lac Volta TOGO land and infrastructure development schemes Kumasi Zambezi Lac Kariba Golf de GuinéeDétroit du Zambezi urgently needed by African countries for their Mozambique

OCÉAN Mono development should take account of the GHANA ATLANTIQUESiteLIBÉRIA 1 : Site 2 : Site 3 : Site 4 : PortoSite 5 :Novo Site 6 : Site 7 : Lome Niger Milo Tinkisso Upper TinkissoAccra Sankarani Mékrou Mouhoun Mono source needs of the river basin communities and of Limpopo. all ecosystems that they transform, in addition BASINS Niger Niger Niger Niger Niger Volta Mono to the water issues for which they are being TYPE OF Gallery forest/ Guédé Gallery forest Tinkisso source heads Gallery forest /Fié Gallery forest Gallery forest Mono source head ECOSYSTEMS source heads (Milo source head tributary) Rural Commune Rural Commune of Vaal Rural Commune of Commune of Dissin, District of Alédjo, implemented. » of Niandankoro, Dogomet, Prefecture Orange Rural Commune of GolfTamou, Niger de GuinéeBurkina Faso and Benin and Agoulou LOCATION Rural Commune of Prefecture of Siguiri, of Dabola, Guinea Balandougouba, OCÉANNandom District, Canton, Togo Koumban, Kankan Guinea Guinea and Ghana Jean-Marc GARREAU, Programme Coordinator, IUCN-PACO Prefecture, Guinea Commune of Sankarani, Mali INDIEN

8 PAGE 2014: building partnership - Report on year one implementation of PAGE Lessons learned Publications

Clear will of institutions to work together on › Programme Brochure sustainable natural resources management.  Consult the brochure The sustainable natural resource management issue in West Africa requires synergetic actions among the institutions. Within the framework of the PAGE programme, the implementation of the partnership has › Policy Brief: Investing in natural ecosystems established continuous consultation between national for sustainable development institutions on one hand and regional institutions on the  Consult the policy brief other, thus allowing the sharing of strategic information, consensus building in the conduct of activities and programmes through co-financing. The collaboration with IUCN-PACO has led to the operationalization of ECOWAS strategic programmes on “Vulnerability › Journalist Competition Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change in West « Water and Environment » brochure Africa” and “Integrated Water Resources Management  Consult the brochure in West Africa". Need for openness and availability to deep-root the partnership © JF Helio & N. Van Ingen © JF Helio & N. Van In sustainable natural resource management, every institution has its own focus area and approach. PAGE offers to the institutions a framework for sharing and harmonizing approaches by entrusting them with For more information activities to implement. This collaboration framework has required some time and patience for joining all efforts. But once in place, it has secured the relationship and opened long term prospects. INTERNATIONAL UNION For any complementary information about the FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE programme, please consult the official web site of PAGE: Regional Office www.iucn.org/page Central and West Africa Programme (PACO) 01 PO Box 1618 Ouagadougou 01 Burkina Faso E-mail : [email protected] www.iucn.org/paco

9 PAGE 2014: building partnership - Report on year one implementation of PAGE