A crucial three-day national workshop focused on bolstering groundwater governance commenced in N’Djamena. Launched on June 16, 2026, this gathering brought together approximately fifty key participants from public institutions, technical and financial partners, civil society organizations, and user groups. The primary objective is to formulate a unified, multi-stakeholder action plan to enhance the management of Chad’s vital groundwater resources and mitigate associated quantity and quality risks.

Groundwater plays an indispensable role in ensuring Chad’s water security. It is fundamental for providing potable water, supporting irrigation, sustaining pastoral systems, and facilitating urban development, particularly in regions grappling with climate stress and limited surface water availability. Recognizing this critical importance, the national workshop was meticulously organized to craft a consensual and comprehensive action plan. This plan aims to fortify groundwater governance and address the most pressing risks concerning the volume and purity of this essential resource.

Addressing the assembly at the opening session, UNICEF’s representative, Natascha Paddison, underscored the collective responsibility to guarantee every child equitable access to fundamental services, including safe drinking water, hygiene, and sanitation. She emphasized that behind every technical decision concerning groundwater lies a profound human reality, directly impacting health, education, human capital development, and dignity.

Paddison urged participants to dedicate these three days to exchanging knowledge, confronting diverse experiences, pinpointing priority risks, and collaboratively developing tangible solutions. She further stressed that groundwater resources must serve as a safeguard for health rather than a source of peril, and as a catalyst for development instead of a potential cause of conflict, all while safeguarding the interests of future generations.

The UNICEF representative reiterated her institution’s steadfast commitment to supporting the Chadian government and all partners throughout this vital process. She extended gratitude to the United Kingdom, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose invaluable support made the organization of this pivotal workshop possible.

On her part, Fatimé Hassan, the Director General of Water Resources, clarified that the workshop’s central purpose is to devise a coordinated action plan designed to uplift groundwater governance across Chad. She explained that the proceedings would foster a shared understanding of the nation’s groundwater status, identify key governance challenges impacting its management, and outline the necessary activities for implementing agreed-upon actions. Hassan indicated that the workshop’s outcomes would be documented in a comprehensive report detailing the main discussion points, alongside a technical orientation note incorporating findings from the 2026 national exploratory assessment on groundwater risks.

The workshop convenes approximately fifty participants, representing national water authorities, various sectoral ministries, regional organizations, technical and financial partners, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, water user groups, and academic experts. The collaborative discussions are expected to culminate in concrete recommendations for more effective, inclusive, and sustainable groundwater management practices within Chad.