A three-day national workshop on groundwater governance kicked off today in N’Djamena. Bringing together government officials, technical partners, financial backers, civil society representatives and user groups, this initiative aims to forge a consensus-driven action plan addressing both the quantity and quality challenges facing Chad’s vital groundwater reserves.

Groundwater represents a lifeline for Chad’s water security. It supplies drinking water, fuels agricultural irrigation, supports pastoral systems and sustains urban development—especially in regions grappling with climate stress and surface water scarcity. Recognizing this, the three-day gathering was designed to develop a collaborative, multi-stakeholder action plan that fortifies groundwater governance while tackling the most pressing risks to this finite resource.

During the opening ceremony, Natascha Paddison, UNICEF representative in Chad, emphasized the shared responsibility to ensure every child in the country has fair access to essential services like clean water, sanitation and hygiene. She stressed that technical decisions about groundwater management directly impact human health, education, human capital development and dignity.

The workshop participants are tasked with pooling their expertise, exchanging experiences and jointly identifying priority risks while crafting practical solutions. Paddison highlighted that groundwater must serve as a safeguard for health rather than a source of vulnerability, a catalyst for development rather than a catalyst for conflict, all while protecting the rights and needs of future generations.

She reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the Chadian government and its partners throughout this process. The workshop was made possible through funding from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Fatimé Hassan, Director-General of Water Resources in Chad, outlined the workshop’s objective: to create a unified action plan that elevates groundwater governance across the country. She explained that the sessions will foster a shared understanding of Chad’s groundwater landscape, pinpoint governance challenges affecting its management and outline the steps needed to implement key actions. The workshop’s outcomes will be documented in a comprehensive report and a technical guidance note incorporating findings from the 2026 national groundwater risk assessment.

The gathering brings together nearly fifty participants, including national water authorities, sectoral ministries, regional organizations, technical and financial partners, UN agencies, NGOs, private sector representatives, user groups and academic experts. The dialogue aims to yield actionable recommendations for a more efficient, inclusive and sustainable approach to groundwater management in Chad.