Johannesburg, November 19-21, 2025
The Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) took part in the 7th SADC (Southern African Development Community) Groundwater Conference, held from November 19 to 21, 2025, in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the theme “Investing in Groundwater for Climate Action.”
This annual event brought together nearly 200 participants, including young professionals, researchers, regional organizations, and representatives of SADC member States and explored the critical role of groundwater in climate resilience and water security, particularly in areas most affected by climate variability.
The 2025 edition highlighted how sustainable groundwater management can strengthen the resilience of communities and ecosystems. Under the sub-theme “Adaptation Strategies for Groundwater Management,” discussions focused on integrated water resource management, an approach that simultaneously considers surface and groundwater. Participants emphasized the need to invest in nature-based solutions, data collection, capacity building, and appropriate governance frameworks to ensure effective implementation.
The OSS contributed to a special session organized by GEF IW: LEARN, which was part of the conference program and constituted the second Dialogue on Integrated Water Resource Management. This dialogue follows on from the one co-organized at the UNECE Global Workshop on Integrated Surface and Groundwater Management (October 16–17, 2023, Geneva & online).
Represented by Mr. Mohamedou Baba Sy, Water Department Director, the OSS shared its experience in the governance of transboundary aquifers, particularly through the SMAS and NB-ITTAS projects, funded by the GEF via UNEP, and implemented by the OSS in partnership with the OMVS and OMVG for SMAS, and with the ABN, UNESCO, and UNIDO for NB-ITTAS.
As a member of the AMCOW Task Force, the OSS participated in a session dedicated to the SPGWR (Strategic Program on Groundwater for Water Security and Resilience in Africa) that aimed to raise awareness of the program and mobilize stakeholders to support its implementation across the continent. For the record, AMCOW was tasked, during the 14th Ordinary Session of its Council of Ministers, with designing and supporting the implementation of the SPGWR for the period 2026-2033.
The OSS, taking part in the 7th SADC Groundwater Conference, and highlighting the GEF's approach to Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis/Strategic Action Program (TDA/SAP) and the joint management of transboundary water resources, confirms its role as a key partner in Africa for GEF IW:LEARN and UNEP on these issues.
This participation is fully aligned with the GEF and UNEP efforts to promote cooperative, resilient, and science-based management of transboundary groundwater in West Africa, the Sahel, and beyond.