Ouagadougou – Experts in charge of water resources management and sanitation from the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) convened in Ouagadougou on Tuesday, aiming to enhance drinking water and sanitation standards across its member countries. The gathering focused on addressing the slow improvement in drinking water access, which has been less than 1.00% per year since 2016.
According to Burkina Information Agency, chief of staff of Commissioner Jonas Gbian, the current pace is insufficient for meeting the sustainable development goals in water and sanitation by 2030. The session served as a precursor to a ministerial meeting set for July 12, 2024, and aimed at formulating actionable recommendations to expedite progress.
The opening ceremony saw an address by Boureima Kouanda, the Secretary General representing Burkina’s Minister of Water. He emphasized the urgency of advancing water and sanitation solutions, particularly in light of escalating climate change challenges. Citing a 2023 study, Kouanda highlighted that while 87.3% of the urban populations in the UEMOA zone have drinking water access, rural areas lag behind at 65.6%. In Burkina Faso, the overall water access rate was reported at 78.3% for the previous year.