The Inception Meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) supported project “Enabling Transboundary Cooperation and Integrated Water Resources Management in the extended Drin River Basin” took place in Tirana, on 16 December 2015, at the presence of Mr. Edmond Panariti, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration, Mr. Ferid Agani, Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, as well as Mr. Stevo Temelkovski, Deputy Minister of Environment and Physical Planning.

Water insecurity costs the global economy some US$ 500 billion annually, according to Global Water Partnership (GWP). That figure does not take into account environmental impacts so the total drag on the world economy could be 1% or more of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The 2016 GWP PANASIA Workshop was organized by GWP SEA and hosted by Singapore PUB in Singapore from July 14 to 15, 2016.
GWP Central America, through the Water, Climate and Development Programme, has developed a socioeconomic analysis of the sectoral impact of the drought of 2014 in Central America. The study concludes that losses are substantial in the agriculture, hydropower and water services sectors – exceeding US$ 650 million.
Research and Development (R&D) Institutions have a key role to play in Africa’s economic renewal and sustainable development, by improving conservation and utilisation of the continent’s water resources through R&D efforts. In its stride to continue collaborating with R&D institutions, GWPSA’s Executive Secretary, Ms Ruth Beukman participated at a kick off of the NEPAD Networks of Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Water Sciences Phase II meeting held at the Southern Sun- The Cullinan hotel in Cape Town, South Africa from the 24th to the 26th of May, 2016.
If you are part of the GWP network, chances are that you have met GWP Head of Network Operations, Jacques Rey. He is coordinating GWP programmes in the global secretariat in Stockholm, and has been involved from the beginning of GWP, way back in 1996. Here he reflects on his history with the network.