Since December 27, 2021, Togo has officially become the 46th Party, the fifth State outside the pan-European region, of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), the Secretariat of which is provided by the UNECE.
More than two-thirds of Togo's water resources are shared, notably the Volta River basin (shared with Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Mali) and the Mono River basin (shared with Benin). Given this shared interest, Togo was already a party to the Conventions establishing the status of the Volta and Mono Rivers and relating to the creation of the Volta and Mono River Basin Authorities.
Togo's accession to the Water Convention will strengthen the efforts undertaken by the Togolese authorities in the sustainable management of its water resources. It will contribute to the improvement of its national water management, ensure the exchange of knowledge and experiences with other countries, and support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular goal 6.5 relating to integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation, where appropriate.
In a context marked by increased pressures on water resources, the Water Convention constitutes a legal framework whose implementation, in addition to regional frameworks and national instruments, will certainly contribute to supporting our country's efforts in cross-border cooperation on our shared basins, conflict prevention and the promotion of peace and regional integration.
Togo's accession reflects the growing interest in the Water Convention since its global opening in 2016.