GWP Patron Margaret Catley-Carlson delivered the keynote speech at this year's Asia Development Bank’s (ADB) water conference held October 11-15, 2010 in Manila, Philippines. Her focus was on “cutting through red tape in order to achieve better water security.” The GWP delegation participated in a variety of sessions and gave presentations.

Costa Rica is making progress in expanding access to water supply and sanitation, but the sector faces challenges when it comes to sanitation connections, poor service quality, and low cost recovery.

With China becoming one of the largest emitters of CO2 emissions, saving water and controlling pollution are key climate change adaptation strategies in the National 12th Five-year (2011-2015) Plan.

In September, the Coca Cola Foundation approved funding for the GWP Mediterranean project on ‘Rainwater Harvesting in the Cyclades Islands’. The project aims to contribute to local water security through a pilot installation of more than 10 rainwater harvesting systems in public buildings, training of technicians, and educational activities for local schools.

An interregional workshop on “Women and Water Management” was held in Guatemala in October, organised by UNESCO and supported by GWP Guatemala, GWP Central America and GWP South America. (Photo: Participants at the workshop)

In a breakthrough for water, the 7th African Development Forum held in Addis Ababa in October put water on the infrastructure agenda alongside energy, transport and communications. This marked a turning point in overcoming resistance to large water projects stemming from negative perceptions of social and environmental impacts.

In a breakthrough for water, the 7th African Development Forum held in Addis Ababa in October put water on the infrastructure agenda alongside energy, transport and communications. This marked a turning point in overcoming resistance to large water projects stemming from negative perceptions of social and environmental impacts.

The approval of the IWRM Strategic Action Plan for the Congo Basin by the International Commission for the Congo-Oubangui-Sangha basin (CICOS) in late 2010 paves the way for realising the vast potential of the catchment.

GWP Romania participated at the Bucharest Business Forum at the World Trade Center, Bucharest, Romania on 18-19 October 2010. The goal was to offer a discussion platform for all stakeholders interested in developing flagship projects within the EU Strategy for Danube Region through Strategic Partnerships at European macro regional level.

With its experience of being a neutral platform for negotiating river basin management plans, GWP Lithuania has been asked to act as a national information center for water resources management.