The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a global research-for-development organisation focused on solving water challenges in developing countries, has announced two major partnerships aimed at enhancing water security, climate resilience, and policy innovation across West Africa and the Sahel.

A five-year agreement was signed with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission to strengthen the governance of transboundary water resources across member states.

The partnership will support the co-development of digital tools for drought and flood forecasting, facilitate knowledge and data exchange through regional platforms, and promote biodiversity conservation and resilience within agrifood systems.

IWMI also formalised a new collaboration with Sierra Leone’s National Water Resources Management Agency (NWRMA), centred on research, innovation, and capacity building for sustainable water and land management.

The agreement with NWRMA, also spanning five years, will support the development of early warning systems, knowledge-sharing platforms, inclusive governance structures, and climate-smart tools to bolster water security in the country.

The memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed on 19 May 2025 in Accra, Ghana, and are seen as a significant step towards advancing regional cooperation on water and climate issues.

“These partnerships signal a shared regional commitment to science-driven, inclusive water governance. By aligning efforts, we can tackle climate risks, advance food and water security, and drive meaningful impact across the region,” said Olufunke Cofie, IWMI’s Africa Director for Research Impact.

Director of the ECOWAS Water Resources Management Centre, Kouassi Kouakou Alexis, also commended the collaboration, saying, “It is great for us to have this kind of support from IWMI to do our best for the ECOWAS community. Let us continue to work together to have a concrete impact on our populations through water management in the region.”

Similarly, the Director of Hydrological Services at NWRMA, Mohamed Sahr E. Juanah, remarked, “Sierra Leone has many water challenges and when looking for partnerships to solve this problem, there is no better organisation than IWMI. This is just the start of a long journey, however, with unity and determination we believe we can achieve our goals.”

The signing ceremony was attended by IWMI’s management and members of its Board of Governors, alongside representatives from ECOWAS, NWRMA, and other regional stakeholders committed to enhancing climate resilience and sustainable water management.

The partnerships align with IWMI’s West and Central Africa Roadmap 2024–2030, which prioritises resilient agrifood systems, transboundary water governance, climate-risk mitigation, digital innovation, water infrastructure, circular economy principles, gender equality, social inclusion, and capacity building.

These initiatives are expected to harness earth observation technologies, inclusive research, and regional cooperation to address urgent challenges such as water scarcity, climate variability, and rural poverty.

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