Large Rivers Ecosystems in West Africa: Problems of Efficient Use for Socio-Economic Development

The article deals with topical issues of water use on the major rivers of West Africa: Gambia, Senegal and Niger. It is emphasized that rapid population growth and active economic development of coastal territories, construction of hydraulic engineering facilities, as well as often excessive development of fossil resources, which inevitably leads to pollution of river waters, damages populations of their inhabitants and as a result poses a threat to food security and human health, cause serious damage to the ecological balance of these rivers. At the same time, the interests of communities come into conflict with the interests of state economic development. In order to achieve sustainable economic development, the issues of effective management of water resources taking into account climate change, the use of modern technologies for water use and water purification are among the priorities. The activities of cross-border organizations for the joint use of river basins are analyzed. The authors conclude that, in order to conserve water resources, an integrated approach is needed to assess their condition and sustainable use for economic development and improving the standard of living of the population..