In 2008, the Sri Lanka Water Partnership (SLWP) began working with the Water Integrity Network (WIN) to fight corruption surrounding illicit and unregulated river sand mining.
The International River Foundation has recently formed a partnership to deliver a European Riverprize in 2013, the first of its kind.
Agriculture: the major sector of water consumption
Intensive abstraction for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes has led to depletion of surface and groundwater bodies. Overexploitation of groundwater resources in particular, has led to seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers. Over the last 50 years, water demand for all sectors of activity together has doubled to reach 280 km3/ year in 2007.
Dr. Ania Grobicki has been appointed as the Global Water Partnership’s Executive Secretary. Ania Grobicki is currently the Head of the Secretariat for the multi-stakeholder forum on strengthening research for health, development and equity worldwide which was established to prepare for the 2008 Global Ministerial Forum on Research for Health.
The Global Water Partnership (GWP) announces its new global strategy, one that focuses on the achievement of four major goals during the period 2009-2013.
A HelpDesk for Flood Management will be launched on June 17 at the 2nd Meeting of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. The HelpDesk will assist countries in implementing an integrated approach to flood management and will provide guidance on flood management strategy and policy.
Currently, water resources management in irrigation and drought, flood management are effecting greatly by climate change. Learning and disseminating of related information systematically will help facilitate the adjustment of water resources management of responsible agencies in time and responsive to the changing situation. Evidences from climate change on watershed ecosystem are obvious and diversified, for example, irrigated water insufficiency, disasters from floods, landslide, and drought. Data and information about these are available with consulting firms or line agencies. To be more effective in dealing with these problems, local stakeholders and the RBC should have sufficient knowledge to fully and equally participate in the process. Thus the RBC and local stakeholders’ capacity will be strengthened in monitoring of the IWRM, especially in the critical river basins.
Dr. Letitia A. Obeng took over the reins as Chair of the Global Water Partnership (GWP) on 1st January 2008.
Given her strong background in water and development we asked her about GWP and its role in sustainable development.