On Monday, June 22, 2026, under the chairmanship of Honourable Alamine Ousmane Mey, the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development of the Republic of Cameroon, represented by his Director General of Planning and Regional Development, Mr. ZOUTENE DOUFENE officially opened the four (04) day Stakeholders Regional Workshop on Hydroclimatic Management and Climate Resilience: Investment Planning, Climate Finance and Sustainability of Achievements in the Niger Basin. The main objective is to increase investments for climate resilience and water security by improving access to and use of climate information, strengthening measures to ensure the sustainability of investments and mobilising significant climate finance resources in the Niger Basin.
About sixty participants from the Niger Basin riparian countries, Basin Organisations (LCBC, VBA), Regional and International Organisations (GWP, IUCN, GIZ), Technical and Financial Partners (AfDB, BOAD, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Projects and Programmes (SATH, PIDACC/NB), Users of Natural Resources in the Niger Basin (RCU, NCU-Cameroon), journalists and policy-makers are attending the workshop in the Conference Hall of the StarLand Hotel in Yaoundé (Cameroon).
The opening ceremony featured a series of successive speeches.
The Coordinator of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA)’s National Focal Structure (NFS) in Cameroon, Mr. Guy DEBOK NGHEMNING, welcomed the participants and commended the Experts for their mobilization. He reiterated the NFS’ continued commitment to support the NBA in implementing its activities, and highlighted the importance of the technical work expected from this capacity-building workshop for both NBA member countries and the Executive Secretariat.
The GIZ Portfolio Manager in Cameroon, Ms. Nadji Rafat Saerije, after the customary greetings, highlighted the major transboundary challenges, namely floods, droughts and water-use conflicts, before stating that the workshop aims to translate regional climate priorities into concrete and bankable projects. She also highlighted achievements made under GIZ’ support to the NBA through BMZ’s funding, which resulted in the digitalisation of management tools, inclusive water governance and institutional strengthening. Finally, she reaffirmed GIZ’s technical and institutional support to NBA with a view to modernising natural resources management for the benefit of the Niger Basin populations.
The Representative of eLEAF and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr. Remco DOOST, commended the efforts of the Government of Cameroon and the NBA in organising this regional workshop meant to build capacities in hydro-climatic management, climate resilience, sustainability of achievements and access to climate finance. He emphasised the strategic importance of the Niger Basin and the growing challenges it faces due to climate change. Mr. Remco DOOST highlighted the significant achievements made under the capacity building and hydroclimatic services strengthening Initiative, with the support of the Kingdom of the Netherlands through the implementation of the SATH-NBA Project with the technical support of eLEAF, particularly in terms of enhancing access to hydroclimatic information, strengthening technical capacity and promoting regional cooperation.
While stressing the need to consolidate such achievements through stronger institutions and better mobilisation of climate finance, he reaffirmed the commitment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and eLEAF to continue their support alongside the NBA, its member countries and development partners with a view to strengthening climate resilience, water security and sustainable development in the Niger Basin.
In his remark, His Excellency Kocou Armand HOUANYE, the NBA Executive Secretary, began by thanking member country participants and Partners that accepted his invitation despite their busy schedules. He then emphasized that, faced with major climate challenges threatening the livelihoods of more than 180 million people in the Basin, NBA must accelerate its socio-economic development efforts. He highlighted major successes of the SATH Project, which has already trained over 470 technicians in satellite technologies and raised awareness among 700 local stakeholders about disaster risk reduction (floods and droughts).
He then stressed the main objective of the regional workshop, which is to (i) strengthen hydrometeorological information systems and (ii) equip national and regional Experts with the skills needed for mobilising global climate finance. To this end, the focus will be on how to prepare projects eligible for funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Adaptation Fund.
Finally, the NBA Executive Secretary expressed his deep gratitude to the Cameroonian Government for its hospitality, as well as to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the IUCN, the BOAD and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) for their continued technical and financial support to the Niger Basin’s ecological transition.
In the opening address, Mr. ZOUTENE DOUFENE, Director General of Planning and Territorial Development of Cameroon, Representing the NBA Supervising Minister, warmly congratulated NBA Executive Secretary and his Experts on the tremendous work accomplished under his leadership since July 2025. Despite a complex regional context, the NBA is demonstrating its ability to accelerate vital programmes, such as the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change (PIDACC/NB-Cameroon), for which advocacy was strengthened just three weeks ago.
The Director General indicated that, faced with the increasing frequency of climate-related shocks in the Basin, Cameroon is calling for a collective revitalisation of the Institution. He recalled that NBA embodies the successful transition from national sectoral visions to a concerted, collaborative and transboundary management of natural resources, which is essential for the welfare of populations.
The Representative of the Supervising Minister of the ABN in Cameroon then recalled the priority objectives of the four-day regional workshop.
A heartfelt appeal to Technical and Financial Partners
Finally, the Director General expressed his deep gratitude to partners that actively support the resilience of the Basin: Kingdom of the Netherlands, African Development Bank (AfDB), West African Development Bank (BOAD), IUCN, World Bank and German Development Cooperation (GIZ). A solemn appeal was made to the international community for other partners to join this alliance with a view to amplify actions to support the Niger Basin populations.
Following the official opening ceremony, the proceedings of the first day of the regional workshop continued with presentations followed with discussions around two (2) sessions, namely: (i) Climate change and Impacts on water resources, including ecosystems, and (ii) Water security challenges in the Niger Basin.
