More than 180 representatives of NGOs, academia, youth centers, schools and media participated in the 2020 Drin Day celebrations throughout all Riparian countries, while more than few thousands attended online, due to this year’s COVID-19 pandemic-imposed limitations.
The 2020 GWP Network Meeting concluded on 22 October, with over 900 GWP Partners signed up for the virtual event and others watching the Facebook Live feed. The overall theme was ‘Bringing the Change’ in the context of the GWP 2020-2025 Strategy and as the world faces a pandemic.
A multi-stakeholder consultation held in N’Djamena, Chad on September 4th 2020 revealed that the level of implementation of indicator 6.5.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which tracks the “degree of implementation of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)” in the country has increased from 32% (2017 baseline) to 37%.
A 3-part webinar series took place in February and March to highlight and clarify linkages between water and climate in national climate action plans, such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and various investment mechanisms. “For me, the stories from countries were the best part. I think they speak to all of us and tell us what it's really like to change theory into implementation on the ground,” said Dani Gaillard-Picher, GWP Global Coordinator for Water and Climate Processes, in her summary of the series.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the Volta Basin Authority (VBA) and Global Water Partnership West Africa (GWP-WA), in collaboration with IUCN, organised and held six (6) national capacity building workshops for Volta Basin stakeholders on Nature-based Solutions for the development of bankable projects and the mobilisation of funding for their implementation in national and Volta Basin-wide portions.
The Water ChangeMaker Awards was launched during the World Water Week, 22nd March 2020. The submission of an application was opened from 6 April and last until 14 June 2020, after extend-ed for one week. The award aims to make visible the teams and organizations that shape water decisions that build climate resili-ence – and to create and support a community of ChangeMakers who contribute and learn from each other in shaping the lessons learned about how to make positive change happen. The initiative is designed to make sure that everybody will benefit from oppor-tunities to Connect, Collaborate, and to Celebrate.
The 5th Steering Committee meeting of the Regional Program for the integrated Development of the Fouta Djallon Highlands (RPID/FDH) was held in Dakar, Senegal from 22 to 25 June 2021. The workshop was organized by FAO in collaboration with ECOWAS and UN Environment.
Using the key challenges to IWRM implementation identified in Stage 1, Stage 2 aims to facilitate a government-led multi-stakeholder process to formulate and prioritise appropriate responses to those challenges. The result of Stage 2 is typically an IWRM Action Plan (the name might be adapted for each country), which constitutes a series of attractive investment opportunities to systematically guide the implementation of solutions to IWRM challenges.
Using the key challenges to IWRM implementation identified in Stage 1, Stage 2 aims to facilitate a government-led multi-stakeholder process to formulate and prioritise appropriate responses to those challenges. The result of Stage 2 is typically an IWRM Action Plan (the name might be adapted for each country), which constitutes a series of attractive investment opportunities to systematically guide the implementation of solutions to IWRM challenges.
Twenty-five years ago, the European Union and the Southern Mediterranean partners committed to turning the Mediterranean basin into an area of dialogue, exchange and cooperation, guaranteeing peace, stability and prosperity. The 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Declaration reminds us that a strengthened Mediterranean partnership remains a strategic imperative for the European Union, as the challenges the region continues to face require a common response. Recognising growing interdependences, the new Agenda for the Mediterranean aspires to turn common challenges into opportunities, in a mutual interest approach. Servicing these, regional cooperation efforts will continue, with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) as a focal point, supporting sub-regional and inter-regional cooperation, including with African partners, and joint initiatives between partner countries across the board.
