The Director-General of the National Water Resources Management Agency, Junisa Patrick Bangali Esq. has said there is an urgent need for Mano River Union (MRU) countries to safeguard their 
shared natural resources, protect biodiversity, and mitigate the impacts of climate change for the well-being of present and future generations, as this is very essential for achieving sustainable development.
He said this while giving the welcome remarks at a two-day donor conference for phase two of the GEF/IUCN-supported project: Mano River Union Ecosystem Conservation and International Water Resources Management project, which started on April 24th in Freetown.
DG Bangali said through collective determination and shared vision, MRU countries can pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable future for all, and collectively manage shared resources to ensure the sustainability and prosperity of member states.
“Over the next two days, we have a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue, exchange insights, and forge strategic partnerships that will shape the course of our actions moving forward. Together, we will explore innovative solutions, leverage our combined strengths, and mobilize resources to implement the Strategic Action Program outlined in the GEF-MANO Project….I encourage each of you to actively participate, share your perspectives, and contribute constructively to our discussions. Let us seize this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the principles of environmental stewardship, sustainable development, and regional cooperation.” DG Bangali said.
The two-day session brought together project stakeholders and possible funding partners to brainstorm the way forward for the funding for the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan (SAP). The SAP is a product of the Transboundary Diagnostic Analyses (TDA) which looked into pressing biodiversity and environmental challenges like deforestation, water pollution, loss of biodiversity and land degradation (soil erosion) and change in the river hydrodynamics.
The TDA investigated and eventually brought out the specific problems related to the aforementioned environmental challenges, while the SAP outlined the possible solutions to these challenges. The SAP sets the stage for a second phase of the project, which will look into addressing the challenges, while also ensuring that the sub-region achieves water security, food security, human and ecosystem health protection, as well as actions for adapting and increasing the resilience to climate change, and providing other essential socioeconomic benefits.
The implementation of the SAP will cost One Hundred and Forty Million, Two Hundred and Eighty-Seven Thousand, Two Hundred United States Dollars ($US140, 287,200), with Sierra Leone requiring 38% of the total cost.
The Mano River Union Ecosystem Conservation and International Water Resources Management project is implemented by the Mano River Union for the benefit of the National Water Resources Management Agency (NWRMA) and the National Protected Area Authority (NPAA), with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It aims to address issues around loss of biodiversity, deforestation, land degradation & soil erosion, and water pollution.