The training took place on 21-23 June in Dakar, Senegal, and was hosted by the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River Basin. It brought together 33 participants from 16 basins mostly in Africa (Congo, Gambia, Great Lakes, Lake Kivu/ River Ruzizi, Nile, North-Western Sahara Aquifer System, Orange, Okavango, Senegal, Lake Victoria, Volta, Zambezi), as well as some basins in Eastern Europe (Dniester, Drin, Neman) and Central Asia (Chu Talas).

 

During the opening session of the training, the recently appointed High Commissioner of the Senegal Basin Development Organization explained that a main driver for the creation of the river basin organization in 1972 was the need to raise common resources to deal with recurring droughts in the Senegal basin, which were eventually tackled through the construction of commonly owned water infrastructures. Recently, the decision was taken to tackle the challenges linked to climate change by developing a climate investment plan.

 

Other basins participating in the training also shared their experiences. For example, the Lake Victoria Basin Commission prepared a project proposal which was accepted by the Adaptation Fund. The Observatory for Sahara and Sahel has been accredited to the Adaptation Fund and is in the process of accreditation for the Green Climate Fund. Furthermore, the riparian countries in the Dniester River basin jointly developed a transboundary adaptation strategy and related implementation plan.