In the week of 15 September, Frodo van Oostveen, CEO of World Waternet, and Arnout van Balen, Partnership Officer West Africa, travelled to Bamako in Mali. It was a special moment: the first physical working visit to our WaterWorX partner SOMAGEP in a long time. Due to the security risks in Mali, travelling had not been possible before. Now that the situation has stabilised somewhat, we were able to reaffirm our cooperation in person.
Mission with obstacles
The trip was not without obstacles. Due to visa problems and a delayed flight, the connection in Casablanca was missed. Turning setbacks into opportunities is in our DNA. The extra day in Morocco provided an opportunity to visit our third EUWOP partner: the Moroccan national water company ONEE.
Extra stopover in Rabat
We quickly changed plans. Frodo and Arnout travelled by train to Rabat, where they were warmly welcomed by Mokhtar Jaait and Abderrafii Mardi from ONEE. During the EUWOP programme, ONEE provided training to SOMAGEP employees, including in the field of leak detection. Their head office in Rabat has advanced training facilities. After a tour and a joint lunch, Frodo and Arnout continued their journey to Bamako.
The conclusion of EUWOP phase I
The following morning was devoted to the conclusion of the EUWOP programme. Due to a military rehearsal for Independence Day, an important traffic junction in Bamako was closed, causing a twenty-minute drive to take almost two hours. Nevertheless, the day proceeded smoothly. Thanks to the flexibility of our Malian partners, the session was able to go ahead as planned. The Minister of Water and Energy, Boubacar DIANE, was also present and rescheduled his agenda to participate.
A new chapter: EUWOP phase II
During the working visit, the letter of intent was signed by Frodo van Oostveen and the director of SOMAGEP, Madame BOCOUM Fatoumata Siragata TRAORÉ. The next phase of the EUWOP programme focuses on consolidating the results achieved, with a focus on digitising water services. This further strengthens the partnership between World Waternet, SOMAGEP and ONEE.
Sport as a connector
In addition to all the working visits and consultations, there was also room for connection in a different way. While Arnout moved from one meeting room to another, Frodo joined in a sports moment with his colleagues from SOMAGEP. Twice a week, the company organises a joint sports session with a coach, consisting of brisk walking (6 km) and joint exercises. This activity connects colleagues and strengthens cooperation, including with international partners. One exercise was particularly challenging (see images).
Moving forward together
This visit confirmed the power of long-term partnerships and training young people, especially in challenging circumstances. The collaboration between World Waternet, SOMAGEP and ONEE has proven itself and forms a solid basis for the future. With confidence and joint commitment, we will continue to build sustainable and reliable water management in Mali through WaterWorX. We will soon share more about the next steps in EUWOP phase II, with a focus on digitisation, energy efficiency and structural impact & investments.
