Magazine OMVS 1972 - 2002. 30 years of existence. A successful example of sub regional integration and cooperation in relation to the coordinated and concerted development of a river basin in Africa

An efficient institutional frame The Organisation's efficiency deri ves l'rom the so lid ity of its Instituti on s. Wha teve r the level of decision conside red. they constitute a frame of perm anent co nsultation and d ialogue. efficie nt decision-making instrument s in rel ation to politi cal or operat ional aspec ts as we il as unequ alled tools in the quest for co ntinuous improvernent of our vision for sustainable development in the bas in. r:rr the Water Standing Committee: an advisory Orga n of the Cou ncil of Ministers: r:rr two Ma nageme nt and Operati ng Agenci es. namely: r:rr the Mauantali Energy Manageme nt Agency (SOGEM) : and r:rr the Diatna Dam Management and Operation Agency (SOGED) . Stee ring and definiti on of the coo peration and developm ent policy arc ves ted in the Conference of Heads of Stat e and (~l Governtnent, supreme organ whose two year-term mand ate and turning chairmanship con stitute pledges for sustained stability. ln additi on to the Co nference . the moderni sed and restructured Organi sati on includes the following Organs: r:rr the Council of Miuisters: its conce pt and co ntrol Organ : œ: the High Commission : the OMYS Exec utive Organ: Furthcrmo rc. in orde r to wide n and strengt hen con sult ation that co nstitutes an indispensable arr ang ement for a sustainable management of the ~ ~ Se nega l River Bas in. the OMYS instituted two major advisory organs. namely: • a Consultative Committee of Partn ers in Development: and • a Regional Planning Committee whose rai e is ta harmon ise national programm es in relation with ail ac tors or stake ho lde rs invol ved in the bas in. Regul arit y of the operating ar rangeme nts of ail the OMYS Institu tions is based on a body of str ict and effic ient legal texts. o a guarantee for an e fficie nt ancl profitab le man agem en t of the Joi ntly Owned infrastructures: o a pleclge to sustainab ly mcet the req uirements of ail utilisation sectors: o the de termi natio n of rules and arra ngeme nts necessary for a better ba lanced ma nageme nt of the reso urce: o the se tting up of a jo int frame of ac tion for aIl stakeho lde rs cvo lvinu in the basin . o the es tab lishme nt ota space for redepl oymen t and exp ress ion of national efforts. Hy its innovati ve and vanguard nature, th e Charter also con stitutes: a sustained and structured cooperation between Member-States and secured equity, soliclarity and The Charter of Waters of the Senega l river. a unique and unri valled text in Africa and e lsewhere under other transboundary river basin contexts. constitutes a strategie asset or tool. Il is a legal instrument of international scope and based on four main pillars, narnely: a the Convention of l l Mareil 1972 on the Legal Status of the River : a the Convention of li Mareil 1972 on the establishment of the OMVS; a The Convention of 21 Decentber 1978 on the Legal Status o] the Iointly Owned Structures; a the Convention of 12 May 1982 on the finaucing modalities of the Iointly Owued Structures; a the Charter o] Waters o] the Senegal river (~l28 May 2002. A Solid, Adapted, Modern, Efficient and Inno vative Legal framework The OMYS legislative and regulatory articulat es on equal treatment of aIl use sec tors. In this the followinz fundamental texts: respect. free nav igation is also provided for: ~ 0 j oint and indivis ible ownership of ail structures constructed on the rive r: o equal access to the resource : and o equitable allocation of costs and charges.