Developing Uganda's Water National Adaptation Plan

Global Water Partnership East Africa (GWP-EA) is collaborating with the Uganda Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) to facilitate the development of the country’s Water National Adaptation Plan (Water NAP).

The two partners, together with the Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO Network (UWASNET) held a national stakeholder consultative workshop on 20 July 2017. The workshop was attended by representatives from government departments, civil society and development partners among others.

‘’Through this meeting we expect to identify gaps, focus areas and challenges in the NAP as well as prepare a project document to operationalize the identified priorities. Furthermore, there is need for the MWE and other key sector players to mobilise resources in development of the Water- NAP, “reiterated Dr Ahmed Khalid Eldaw, GWP-EA Regional Coordinator.

The aim of the meeting was to identify national priorities in water adaptation aligned to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC).

RC Eldaw highlighted that the role of GWP is to facilitate the development of the Water NAP, which will contribute to the country’s NAP.

Speaking at the same conference, Ms Doreen Kabasindi Wandera, Executive Director, UWASNET underpinned the need for defined stakeholders’ roles and identification of real issues affecting water resources, particularly in the oil and gas subsector. Overall, she urged all stakeholder to co-operate in the development the Water- NAP.

”There is need to identify and develop adaptation plans, at the same time mitigating any arising effects of oil extraction and exploration on the environment, ’’ underscored ED Wandera.

The meeting paved the way forward for the Water NAP’s operationalization, which will be highly aligned to the Ministry’s structures. MWE will guide the mainstreaming of water security issues in water related sectors and engage both financial and non-financial partners, whose support is integral in the NAP operationalization process.

GWP, which has vowed its continued support in the NAP process, is working with stakeholders from all levels, starting from climate prone communities up to the support institutions that help with capacity building and project development.