OMVG chairman calls for shared international status for key rivers

President Adama Barrow, the current chairman of the Organisation for the Development of the Gambia River Basin (OMVG), has urged member states to sign conventions granting shared international status to the Kayanga/Geba and Koliba/Corubal rivers.

Speaking at the opening of the 11th Ordinary Session of the OMVG Conference of Heads of State and Government in Banjul, President Barrow emphasized the importance of these rivers as critical natural resources for regional socio-economic development.

“With reference to the proposed agenda, it is scheduled that member states sign the conventions on the legal status of the Kayanga/Geba and Koliba/Corubal rivers. Like the Gambia River, the two rivers should henceforth acquire the status of shared international rivers,” he stated.

Barrow highlighted the 2008 resolution by the OMVG Council of Ministers to align the legal statuses of these rivers with the organization’s practices, noting the development potential they hold for fostering economic cooperation among member states.

The call reflects OMVG’s commitment to advancing regional integration and sustainable development through shared management of vital water resources.