With the collapse of the USSR, the water sector seized to be subsidised leading to deterioration of basic infrastructure. Action was taken to partially transfer the responsibility for operation and maintenance of irrigation systems to water users. Nonetheless, this has had limited success because it has been seen as an additional cost rather than benefit. This illustrates that for this to work, the returned benefits need to be higher than the costs.
The Global Water Partnership Southern Africa has been a collaborating partner in the National Adaptation Plan – Global Support Programme (NAP-GSP) process through association with the Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP). NAP-GSP is assisting LDCs to identify technical, institutional and financial needs to integrate climate change adaptation into ongoing medium and long-term national planning and budgeting in Twenty-six least developed countries (LDCs). GWP has joined other NAP-GSP partners in supporting LDCs to advance NAPs through:
A presentation on Gender Mainstreaming in the SADC Water Sector was made during the 6th RBO workshop held on 15-17 October, 2014 at Birchwood Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa. GWP SA has facilitated the organization of the RBO workshops, which are aimed at enhancing and building the ability of the RBOs to prepare, respond and recover from water related impacts (flood and droughts) and build resilience to climate change within the RBOs through all aspects, including gender mainstreaming.
On October 15, 2014, Dr. Li Tao, the Director, and Ms Wang Dan of the China Regional Office of IWA visited GWP China Secretariat and had discussion about cooperation between the two organizations on the Symposium on Water, Energy and Food Nexus scheduled on Nov. 11-13, 2014 in Beijing China.
This Indonesia Water Partnership under WACDEP Project is aimed to mobilize activities such as study, situational analysis, and recommendations which will contribute to the achivement of a higher level of water security and climate resilience in River Basin level, through promotion of IWRM in collaboration with key strategic partners such as BMKG (National Board on Meteorological Climatological and Geophysical), universities research center on climate (ITB and IPB), RBO (BBWS Bengawan Solo and PJT I), Central and local governments (East Java and Central Java Provinces) aimed to foster investment planning to protect vulnerable sectors on river basin basis.
WACDEP Tunisia held their first national training workshop from June 2nd to 5th, 2014 in Bizerta, north of Tunisia. The workshop was well attended by 16 participants, drawing from the key institutions involved in water security and climate resilience in Tunisia.