Eschborn, Germany, 21 October 2026: A high-level delegation from the Executive Secretariat of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) concluded its study visit to Germany with a strategic meeting with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Eschborn, near Frankfurt.

Led by the Executive Secretary of the NBA, H.E. Mr Kocou Armand HOUANYE, the mission featured high-level engagements with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ in Bonn, and the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR) in Koblenz. The programme also included meetings with specialised institutions working in hydrology and water data management, as well as field visits.

During the strategic wrap-up meeting with GIZ partners, discussions highlighted a shared understanding of the challenges facing transboundary river basin organisations, particularly the mobilisation of sustainable financing, the strengthening of hydrological monitoring and early warning systems, adaptation to climate change, and the promotion of benefit-sharing arising from the development of shared water resources among riparian countries. The experiences shared by the ICPR particularly underscored the importance of trust among States, consultation, data sharing and sustainable financing mechanisms in ensuring the effectiveness of joint initiatives.

At this concluding meeting with GIZ, discussions with Ms Angelika Friedrich, Head of Department 1300 - Southern Africa, and German cooperation experts provided an opportunity to examine lessons learned from other transboundary river basins, particularly in integrated water resources management, data interoperability and institutional capacity-building. The importance of mutual learning between transboundary basin organisations in West and Southern Africa, as well as opportunities for integrating the NBA into multilateral cooperation initiatives, was also emphasised.

The prospects identified for consolidating Germany-NBA cooperation include, in particular, the operationalisation of the Niger Basin Regional Climate Change Adaptation Fund (FRACC/BN), the development of a portfolio of bankable projects, the strengthening of water resources and environmental observation and monitoring systems, and the promotion of the Water-Peace-Security-Shared Prosperity nexus. .

At the conclusion of the visit, the NBA Executive Secretary expressed his profound gratitude to the BMZ, GIZ, the ICPR and partner institutions, through Ms Martina Wegner, GIZ Country Director in Niger, for their warm welcome, availability and the quality of the discussions.

This mission marks an important milestone in strengthening a resilient partnership based on complementarity and the pursuit of tangible results for the benefit of the populations of the Niger Basin and the nine NBA Member States. It also represents a significant step towards developing appropriate and sustainable responses to challenges of regional and global significance.
Investing in the Niger Basin Authority means investing in climate resilience, regional stability and shared prosperity throughout the Niger Basin.