Tanzania from 11-13 March kick-starts the Southern African Development Community (SADC) National Consultations to be held in all the 15 SADC member states. The consultations, to be held under the theme “From Vision to Action”, will provide a platform for (SADC) to engage and interact with the various stakeholders in mapping the strategic direction of the regional water resources management, SADC will be undertaking national consultations in the SADC Water Weeks within 15 of the SADC member countries. In each country, the platform will be provided through three main activities (media training, a youth forum and a national consultation). The national consultations are being facilitated by the SADC secretariat and implemented by GWP SA through the Country Water Partnerships (CWPs). Additionally, each consultation is being hosted by the ministry responsible for water in each country.
The first dam on the Lower Mekong River Mainstream, Xayaburi was notified to the Lower Mekong Countries in 2010. The public consultations took place in each country. The result favoured the construction to be postponed for 10 years to allow further study.
On March 3, 2015, the Workshop on Stories to Watch 2015 was held in Tsinghua University in Beijing which was jointly organized by the World Resources Institute (WRI) China and the Institute for Contemporary China Studies at Tsinghua University. Mr. Rugang Zheng, the Coordinator of GWP China was invited to attend the workshop.
The Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) will be a key supporter of the Malta Water Week, to be held on March 25-26, 2015, along, among other, the Sustainable Energy and Water Conservation Unit of the Maltese Ministry for Energy and Health, the EIP (European Innovation Partnership)-Secretariat, the European Regions Research and Innovation Network, as well as the Maltese Water Services Corporation. The Malta Water Week is being organised by Paragon Europe, within the framework of the “Water Efficiency in European Urban Areas” - WE@EU Project, with the aim to create an open platform for EU excellence in sustainable and efficient urban water management that will enable participating clusters and regions to bring together knowledge and innovation potential by collaborating and mutually learning on a trans-national basis.
On February 11, 2015, the Institute of Yellow River Hydraulic Research organized a workshop in Zhengzhou, Henan Province.
A series of activities called The Great Walk for Water initiated by some NGOs will be held from 22 February to 22 March 2015 to draw the World attention on the future "disappearance" of Lake Chad, if nothing is done. This great walk for water is a media caravan, actions and multidisciplinary activities to advocate for an increased attention on the situation of National and International Watercourses in Africa in general and especially the Lake Chad.
During the year, Vietnam Water Partnership reviewed the existing irrigation management status and plan as well as drafted a proposal for new irrigation management plan. Two key government institutions, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) of Vietnam, are fully supporting the implementation of the activities that are under WACDEP program. Vietnam Water Partnership also coordinated closely with National Focal Point of Vietnam to UNFCCC, which will utilize the results of this program into other program of climate change agenda in the country.
Taking advantage of their presence in Ouagadougou, the GWP WAF chair, Abel AFOUDA and the network officer for West Africa visited with the Executive Secretary some of our partners. In view of getting in touch with the technical and financial partners, a series of meetings were organized.