In order to facilitate this exchange, it will be necessary to draft and reach agreement on a data exchange protocol and develop a context-relevant data sharing platform to host data from both countries. To ensure this process is done well, there is potential to learn from and build on other experiences such as those of the Volta Basin authority (VBA), the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) and the Organisation pour la mise en valeur du fleuve Sénégal (OMVS), which are experienced transboundary river basin organizations in West Africa. Accordingly, we will hold a workshop on 12-13 May 2026 in Cotonou to design a data sharing protocol and conceptualize a data sharing platform for the Mono basin, in collaboration with the Mono Basin Authority (MBA). Learning from regional experiences is essential to support this design process and to successfully build an operational transboundary data sharing platform for the Mono basin.
Learning Objectives
Share existing experiences at the regional, national, and basin levels regarding data exchange protocols and platforms for transboundary water resources.
Identify best practices, challenges, and success factors related to the establishment, operationalization, and sustainability of data-sharing platforms.
Analyze the technical (interoperability, standards, system architecture), institutional (governance, legal frameworks), and organizational (role of stakeholders, coordination mechanisms) aspects associated with existing platforms.
Explore options for developing a data-sharing platform adapted to the transboundary context of the Mono River basin and formulate operational recommendations.