GAFA Sahel — access to transboundary groundwater

01Context

The Sahel's transboundary aquifers constitute a strategic resource in the face of drought and water insecurity.

The GAFA initiative aims to establish a regional mechanism for sustainable access to these shared groundwaters.

02Issues

Mobilising and securing the resource sustainably requires precise knowledge of its geometry, productivity and quality.

The challenge was to strengthen decision-making by reducing hydrogeological uncertainties.

03Mission objectives

• Assess the relevance of the GAFA initiative in the Sahel
• Analyse its institutional, legal, technical and financial viability
• Integrate climate, environmental and social issues
• Propose a governance model for implementation

04Services delivered by EAU-GEF

• Diagnosis of the Sahel's major transboundary aquifers
• Multi-criteria viability analysis
• Proposal for a regional governance model
• Implementation roadmap

05Approach & methodology

The approach combined desk review, field investigations, geophysics and hydrogeological interpretation to clarify system functioning.

Results were spatialised to objectify decision-making and guide the design of structures.

06Results & added value

The mission provided the client with a sound and substantiated basis for managing and sustainably mobilising the resource.

It demonstrates EAU-GEF's expertise across the full spectrum of hydrogeological studies.