The Congo Basin, reports say, is the second largest humid zone the world over after that of Amazonia. It is rich in natural resources of all sorts; considerable forests with potentials in flora and fauna, mining, hydro-electricity and agriculture but the level of development of countries of the basin is yet to march with the potentials on the ground. Out of the available 150,000 megawatts of hydroelectricity potentials, only a paltry 1.7 per cent is being used. Besides, human activity coupled with climate change, are said to be great threats to biodiversity. Records show that the Congo Basin Rainforest covers about 180

Against this backdrop, countries of the basin, under the banner "Congo-Oubangui-Sangha Basin International Commission, CICOS" are seeking ways and means of ensuring an integrated way to manage the basin's water resources. Speaking during a roundtable conference yesterday June 22 at the Yaounde Monte Febe Hotel with donor agencies to canvass for funding, the Secretary General of CICOS, Simon Sakibede, said target is a holistic management of resources, protection of the environment, education and sensitisation of the population. This is through a well spelled out 20-year plan, codenamed, "Strategic action plan for an integrated management of water resources of the Congo Basin".

Over 141 projects, estimated to gulp some 14,206,800,000 Euros (about FCFA 9,319,049,907,599) covering a wide spectrum of sectors, had been drawn up and were presented to the potential sponsors during the Yaounde confab. The projects, among others, consist in promoting transportation, ecotourism potentials and agro-fishing. For efficiency in their action plan, member countries of CICOS and those yet to join the commission, will certainly need to reinforce development-based research, harmonise their policies and share cost as well as benefits.

Cameroon's Minister of State, Minister of Transport, Bello Bouba Maigari, president of CICOS, who presided at the opening, like the SG of CICOS, sounded upbeat that with the years ahead of them, the money could be got to execute the projects for the socio-economic development of the sub-region. "The basin has water ways that can be used. Some are already being used for the transportation of our timber. Preserving the ecosystem and protecting these potentials for transportation and trade between our countries is primordial", they said.

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