For the implementation of Resolutions No. 4 and No. 9 on the speeding up of the implementation of the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Niger Basin (PIDACC/NB), subsequently derived from the Extraordinary Session of 7th November, 2025 and the Ordinary Session of 5th December, 2025 of the Council of Ministers of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), arising from the recommendations of the Dialogue Mission conducted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in September 2025; a delegation of the NBA Executive Secretariat led by His Excellency Kocou Armard HOUANYE, the NBA Executive Secretary (NBA/ES), initiated a series of support and advocacy missions in the NBA beneficiary member countries and at the AfDB Headquarters.

The first mission in the series is taking place in Benin from 16th to 20th February, 2026.

 
To recall, Resolution No. 4 calls on the nine (9) NBA member countries benefiting from PIDACC/NB to take appropriate measures to accelerate the pace of implementing the Programme. Similarly, Resolution No. 9 goes further by inviting countries to support the Executive Secretariat in advocating with the AfDB and its partners to help preparing and mobilising the financial resources needed to implement Phase 2 of PIDACC/NB and launch it as from 2028.

In light of the above, the series of missions aims to remobilise all energies with a view to identifying and implementing appropriate solutions to the problems and constraints that hinder the smooth implementation of PIDACC/NB.

Thus, the objectives of the mission in Benin include, among others: (i) to discuss with the relevant national Authorities the difficulties met in implementing PIDACC/NB in the country; (ii) to agree with the competent national Authorities on the ways and means, as well as operational measures to take for significantly accelerating the pace of the implementation of the Programme in Benin.

It is worth recalling that the series of missions planned, including the one to Benin, primarily focuses on identifying appropriate solutions to significantly improve the performance of PIDACC/NB by June 2026; which will provide solid advocacy arguments to support discussions on initiating preparations for Phase 2 of the Programme in July 2026, with the hope of mobilising substantial resources for the start of its implementation in early 2028.

Upon arrival in Cotonou, Benin, the mission met with the Director General of Water Resources, the NBA National Focal Structure Coordinator and Strategic Coordinator of PIDACC/NB in Benin, before holding working sessions with the PIDACC/NB National Coordinating Unit team in Benin.

The mission also met with the person in charge of Public Procurement within the NBA Supervising Ministry in Benin.

The first working sessions held with the relevant national structures enabled the mission to begin an in-depth review of the status of the Programme’s implementation in Benin, the major difficulties met and possible solutions.

The mission will continue discussions with several other relevant stakeholders, with a view to "regreening" the Programme’s performance indicators in Benin.
 
In the coming weeks, the delegation will visit other Niger Basin member countries, all of which are beneficiaries of the Programme, and the AfDB Headquarters, with the same objectives and ambitions; with the ultimate goal being to give more chance to the imminent formulation of Phase 2 of the Programme with greater resources for the benefit of all the nine (9) riparian countries in the Basin and members of the NBA.