The Senegal River Basin Water and Environmental Project is a regional GEF grant being implemented in the four riparian countries sharing the Senegal River Basin (Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal).
The project development objective (PDO) is to provide a participatory strategic environmental framework for the environmentally sustainable development of the Senegal River Basin and to launch a basin-wide cooperative program for transboundary land-water management. The project is designed to improve the capacity of the OMVS and to strengthen the national capacities to address transboundary water and environment management issues. Most importantly, the project provides a framework for including Guinea, the upstream riparian, as a full beneficiary in the management and joint development of the Senegal River Basin.
It is worth noting that OMVS is the executing agency of the project on behalf of the four riparian countries although Guinea is not yet a full member of OMVS. This set an unprecedented step forward for blending cooperation between riparian countries. The implementing agencies are the World Bank and UNDP. Three out of the five components of the project are implemented by the World Bank and the remaining two components are implemented by the UNDP.
The World Bank implements the following three components:
1. Environmental management capacity building. At the regional level, this component focuses on strengthening the dialogue between OMVS and Guinea in the inclusive framework for joint management of the basin resources. At the national level, this component focuses on strengthening national capacities, in OMVS and Guinea, especially on transboundary environmental management aspects.
2. Data knowledge and management. This component focuses on strengthening the data base and knowledge management of Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal. In addition, it also integrates and develops Guinea’s technical capacity building network for information and data exchange.
3. Transboundary diagnostic analysis and strategic action plan. This component focuses on identifying the transboundary environmental issues and then, through a participatory process, preparing a SAP to prioritize actions to address those identified issues.
The UNDP implements the following components:
4. Microgrants program priority actions. This component, based on the findings of the TDA, focuses on supporting pilots’ activities that demonstrate the feasibility of local level approach to implement best practices in land and water conservation. Those pilots, based on community driven principles, strengthen the national and local institutions entities while providing benefits through restored environmental activities.
5. Public participation program. This component puts an emphasis on the required participation and communication aspects among stakeholders. It focuses on:
- (i) awareness and dissemination,
- (ii) communication at various levels, and
- (iii) enhancing participation of stakeholders including the scientific community.
Other (not set)
Guinea , Mali , Mauritania , Senegal , Regional
River
Budget
USD 39,695,000
Total Cost of the project
USD 7,250,000
GEF Allocation to project
Partners
The main focus is on helping the poorest people and the poorest countries, but for all its clients the Bank emphasizes the need for:Investing in people, particularly through basic health and educationFocusing on social development, inclusion, governance, and institution-building as key elements of poverty reduction Strengthening the ability of the governments to deliver quality services, efficiently and transparently Protecting the environment Supporting and encouraging private business developmentPromoting reforms to create a stable macroeconomic environment, conducive to investment and long-term planning.
Established on 11 March 1972 by the states of Mali, Mauritania and Senegal, the OMVS is the result of a long process of initiatives dating back to the colonial era and aimed at developing the Senegal River.