The national IWRM focal points of the 15 ECOWAS Member States and the region’s basin organisations, the technical and financial partners and the ministers in charge of water resources of the 15 ECOWAS Member States are expected from 25 to 28 June 2024 in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, to take part in the statutory meetings of the Permanent Coordination and Monitoring Framework (PCMF) for IWRM in West Africa. The meeting is being organised by the ECOWAS Water Resources Management Centre (WRMC).

It was during the West African Ministerial Conference on Integrated Water Resources Management held in Ouagadougou from 3 to 5 March 1998 that the then 16 ECOWAS countries made a firm commitment to move from sectoral and technocratic water resources management to integrated and participatory management, in accordance with the principles adopted by the Dublin preparatory conference in January 1992 and endorsed by the UNCED in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. The application of the recommendations of this Conference led in particular to the adoption of the Regional Action Plan for Integrated Water Resources Management in West Africa (RAPIWRM-WA) by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in December 2000 and to the creation of a Permanent Coordination and Monitoring Framework (PCMF) for IWRM in West Africa by decision of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in December 2001.

Given the fact that the regional IWRM process in West Africa is today in a certain lethargy marked in particular by the non-holding of statutory meetings of the PCFM since its last bodies organised in Dakar in November 2015, The holding of the 11th Session of the Committee of Experts and the 5th Ordinary Session of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee in Abuja aims to give new impetus to the regional IWRM process in West Africa with the main objective of revisiting the regional IWRM process in West Africa and identifying promising work prospects, taking into account the developments recorded in the region in terms of water resources management since 2015.

The Abuja meetings will be held in two stages. The first, to be held from 25 to 27 June 2024, will focus on the meetings of the Technical Committee of Experts (CTE), which will examine the state of implementation of the resolutions of the 4th ordinary session of the Ministerial Follow-up Committee on IWRM in West Africa, followed by the presentation of the CGRE/ECOWAS 2016-2023 activity report, the draft CGRE/ECOWAS 2024 programme and budget, the state of implementation of the PREAO and ongoing or planned ECOWAS and partner initiatives.

The second meeting concerns the Ministerial Monitoring Committee, which will be held on Friday 28 June. During this 5th Ordinary Session, several issues will be examined, in particular the draft strategic plan of the CGRE-ECOWAS 2020-2030, the draft directive on the development of hydraulic infrastructures in West Africa, the draft directive on the management of shared water resources in West Africa; the relaunch of the programme to promote new transboundary basin organisations in West Africa; the institutional study for a reform of the PCMF and the operationalisation of the Regional Water Observatory.

As a reminder, the participants expected at the 11th Session of the CTE are in particular the IWRM National Focal Points of the 15 ECOWAS Member States; the IWRM Focal Points of the Basin Organisations of the region (ABCBT, ABN, ABV, ABM, OMVG, OMVS, CBLT, MRU); representatives of the sub-regional Institutions intervening in the water sector in West Africa (UEMOA, CILSS, ALG, GWP/AO); Representatives of African Regional Institutions (AMCOW, ADB/FAE, EAA); Technical and Financial Partners (PACO-IUCN, OSS, UNECE 1992 Water Convention, ACEWATER, WASCAL); ECOWAS entities involved in water resources management (WAPP, Environment Directorate, Agriculture Directorate, Fouta Djallon Mountains Programme, PPDU, ECREEE, ARAA) and the CGRE-ECOWAS Staff.

The 5th Session of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee (MMC) will be attended by the Ministers in charge of water resources of the 15 ECOWAS Member States and the ECOWAS Commissioner in charge of water resources.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) has provided essential logistical support for the handover of Jowhar Town Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) – Horseed, Parliament and State House – from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to the Somali National Army (SNA). This handover is part of the ongoing third phase of the ATMIS troop drawdown.

These FOBs were previously operated by the ATMIS Burundi National Defence Forces.

“UNSOS facilitated the handover by moving the contingent equipment from the Jowhar Town FOBs to Balcad FOB, the logistical base for the ATMIS Burundi contingent,” said UNSOS Chief of Transition Planning Cell, Patrick Duah.

In addition, UNSOS relocated unserviceable UN equipment and donated serviceable items to the SNA, including water treatment plants, generators, solar panels, containers, water storage tanks and security enhancements like communication towers and boom gates.

This support builds upon UNSOS’s logistical assistance in facilitating the recent handover of the Bariire FOB in Lower Shabelle region, which marked the beginning of the third phase of the troop drawdown.

Previously under the command of Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) since 2019, Bariire FOB holds strategic importance as a buffer zone about 60 km west of the capital, Mogadishu. 

For the Bariire FOB handover, UNSOS support included repatriating the Ugandan troops from the FOB to Km 50, a staging point for the ATMIS troops.

“We also provided third party logistics contract to support the movements of their equipment from the FOB to KM50 and facilitated the handover of UN owned equipment such as generators, water treatment plants, water storage tanks, and solar panels to the SNA, who are taking over the FOB,” said Duah.

By providing logistical support for these FOB handovers, UNSOS plays a vital role in Somalia’s security transition, equipping the SNA with the resources needed to assume greater responsibility for the country’s security.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS).

Shakwa Nyambe, Managing Partner of SNC Incorporated (https://SNCLawGroup.com/), has been appointed as the President-Elect of the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN) for the period of 2024 -2025. His appointment was confirmed at the AIEN Board of Directors meeting held on the 10th of June 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. This will pave the way for him to become the Substantive President of the AIEN for the period 2025-2026. This prestigious appointment acknowledges his exceptional leadership and extensive expertise within the global energy sector, and his contributions to educational and networking programs as well as the development of model contracts for the energy sector. Notably, Nyambe is the first African to lead and be elected as President-Elect of the AIEN in its history since it was founded in 1982.

As Nyambe transitions from his role as Vice President of Communications, his new position as President-Elect places him at the forefront of AIEN’s strategic initiatives. This role is pivotal for directing the association’s future direction and reinforcing its standing as a global authority in energy negotiations. His tenure as the Regional Chapter Director for Africa and his previous responsibilities have already demonstrated his capability to drive growth and promote collaboration within the industry.

The AIEN, an independent not-for-profit professional membership association headquartered in Houston, Texas, supports international energy negotiators by enhancing their effectiveness and professionalism globally. The organization is renowned for producing model contracts widely used in the international energy industry.

Although the association’s roots are in Houston, Texas, USA’s upstream oil sector, it has now grown to be a truly global organization serving the needs of cross-border energy negotiators in the upstream, midstream and downstream hydrocarbon sectors. It is now represented in more than 110 countries, representing numerous international oil and gas companies, energy companies, host governments, law firms, consulting firms and academic institutions. AIEN members come from a variety of disciplines, which include commercial, technical, academic and legal.

Nyambe’s journey with AIEN began as an ordinary dedicated member, leading to his role as Regional Chapter Director for Africa. His leadership significantly contributed to the growth and success of AIEN’s African Regional Chapter, establishing it as a crucial platform for industry dialogue and engagement.

In addition to his leadership roles, Nyambe actively participates in several AIEN committees, including the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) Committee, the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) Committee, the Asset Sale and Purchase Agreement Committee, the Drilling Contract Committee, and the Hydrogen Taskforce. His comprehensive involvement in these committees showcases his deep understanding of the energy landscape and his commitment to promoting sustainable and inclusive energy solutions.

As President-Elect, Nyambe will leverage his extensive experience to further AIEN’s mission of supporting international energy negotiators. His new role entails significant responsibilities in shaping the association’s strategic vision and enhancing its global reputation.

Under Nyambe’s leadership, AIEN is poised to experience substantial growth and impact, solidifying its position as a leading entity in energy negotiations. His vision and expertise will undoubtedly contribute to the association’s efforts in addressing the complex challenges facing the global energy sector and promoting sustainable solutions.

Commenting on the appointment Nyambe said, “I am deeply honoured and humbled to be appointed as the President-Elect of the Association of International Energy Negotiators. This recognition is a testament to the collective efforts of our dedicated team and the unwavering support of our members. I look forward to building on the strong foundation laid by my predecessors and working closely with our members to further strengthen AIEN’s position as a global leader in the energy sector.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of SNC Incorporated.

Africa Data Centres (https://www.AfricaDataCentres.com/), a business of the Cassava Technologies group, has unlocked funding that will allow them to expand data centre capacity and meet the growing demand for cloud computing services in South Africa. This was facilitated through a bespoke financing solution arranged by RMB. The financing agreement demonstrates the strong financial position of Africa Data Centres and its commitment to investing in the digital transformation of South Africa

“This funding is a significant milestone in the growth of Africa Data Centres,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, President&Group CEO of Cassava Technologies. “It underscores our commitment to growth and our confidence in the future of the South African data centre market. The additional funding will allow us to support the digital transformation journeys of our customers. Data Centres are key to delivering on our vision of a digitally connected future that leaves no African behind”.

RMB acted as the Coordinator, Initial Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner on the ZAR2 billion facility. The facility was structured by RMB taking into account the current strategic objectives of Africa Data Centres.

Africa Data Centres operates a network of hyper scale and edge data centres across Southern, East and West Africa. The R2bn financing will enable Africa Data Centres to accelerate expand its hyperscale data centre capacity by an additional 20MW,  furthering its position as a leading player in the African data centre space enabling ADC to provide the highest standard of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities.

“The data centre space presents a significant digital infrastructure opportunity, as there is currently a large deficit of supply versus demand. With the exponential growth in demand for data centre capacity in Africa, we are proud to partner with Africa Data Centres as they facilitate digital transformation across the continent.  We see this funding as part of RMB’s mandate of financing the development of a sustainable digital economy in South Africa” says Nana Phiri, head of corporate client group at RMB.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Data Centres.

About Africa Data Centres:
Africa Data Centres owns and operates Africa’s largest network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities. Bringing international experts to the pan-African market, Africa Data Centres is a trusted partner for rapid and secure data centre services and interconnections across Africa. Strategically located in South, East and West Africa our world-class data centre facilities provide a home for all business-critical data for Africa’s small, medium and large enterprises and global hyper scale customers. https://www.AfricaDataCentres.com/

About RMB:
Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) is a leading African corporate and investment bank (CIB) and part of the largest financial services group (by market capitalisation) in Africa – FirstRand Bank Limited (which is wholly owned by FirstRand Limited). We offer our clients innovative, value-added advisory, funding, trading, corporate banking and principal investing solutions.

As a leading African business, RMB’s expansion on the continent is a key growth strategy. RMB has a deal footprint in over 35 countries in Africa, as well as a presence in the UK, USA, India and China.

At RMB we are passionate about solving problems for our clients by asking the hard questions. We challenge accepted thinking. We analyse and seek solutions beyond the obvious. We are innovative in our thinking and turn challenges into opportunities.

Our ability to think differently, our collaborative spirit, our client-centric solutions and our belief that great minds don’t always have to think alike, is what sets us apart.