Water resource management in Togo

Water is a fragile and non-renewable resource; it is essential to life, development and the environment. Water, which is used for a variety of purposes, has economic value and should therefore be recognised as an economic good. As an economic good, water must be used rationally, otherwise it risks being polluted or running dry and being lost to the natural environment. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is a process that promotes the development and coordinated management of water, land and related resources, with a view to maximising, in an equitable manner, economic and social well-being, without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. The Ouagadougou Declaration, adopted on 5 March 1998 by the West African Conference on Integrated Water Resources Management, which urged member states of the sub-region to promote the harmonisation of their water policies and legislation, and the West African Vision for Water, Life and the Environment for 2025, adopted on 2 March 2000, have naturally led our country, Togo, to put in place action plans in this field.