By Alioune Badara DIOP, Director General of OLAC
For the Office des Lacs et Cours d'Eau (OLAC) whose mission is the planning and management of water resources in Senegal's lakes and rivers, the 9th World Water Forum is a privileged opportunity for communication, communion and sharing with the global players in the field of water resources. Indeed, the World Forum will be an interactive framework for information, reflection and discussion on water issues, particularly in relation to water security, which is a guarantee of peace and development. The theme is all the more important in view of the context of population explosion with the corollary increase in both domestic and agricultural uses, but also climate change with the resurgence of extreme hydro-climatic phenomena.
At the global level, the Forum will renew and strengthen the political commitment of States and decision-makers and thus give impetus to new and efficient actions to achieve the MDGs. In Senegal, we are delighted to organize this event, a first in sub-Saharan Africa. As His Excellency Mr. Macky SALL, President of the Republic, said, the Forum "is also consistent with the Plan Senegal Emergent (PSE) aimed at the structural transformation of the economy, the promotion of human capital, including the reduction of inequalities through access for all to drinking water and sanitation".
OLAC, under the supervision of the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, is preparing to actively participate in the forum. OLAC is in line with the road map drawn up by the Ministry. From this point of view, as announced by Minister Serigne Mbaye Thiam, OLAC will be one of the structures "guarantors of a culture of water preservation and sharing". We are currently involved at all levels and participate in all the reflection , from the scientific, technical and communication points of view. OLAC has just signed a protocol of collaboration with the Executive Secretariat of the Forum and the two structures are working closely for the implementation of the action plan established for this purpose.
We have many expectations of the Forum. First of all, we want to contribute to the organization and success of the event. Then, we will take advantage of this major event to share with the different actors our achievements and perspectives for the achievement of our objectives. You know, OLAC is a public institution whose mission is the planning and management of water resources of lakes and rivers in Senegal except those subject to international conventions. Through the Forum, we expect more visibility, more openness towards strategic, technical and financial partners. We will share our projects for the mobilization of water resources, our projects for the management of aquatic plants among others and establish partnerships for the exchange of experiences in the field of water resources management and planning.
Some of our partners, especially strategic ones, are already informed about the Forum. Now we will continue to raise awareness and advocate with water resource users, technical partners and others. Among the users I can name the agro-industrialists, agricultural producers, stockbreeders, fishermen , etc.. They will be invited to contribute to the organization of the Forum and to participate actively. We will also collaborate with our scientific and academic partners to take care of our problems in the technical sessions.
