The Integrated Programme on Flood Management has started some activities at the end of 2015 in West Africa. The first drafts of country studies of Mali, Benin and Ivory Coast on the status and needs assessment on flood management in the Volta Basin are available.
GWP Central America, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in coordination with the Central American Commission on Environment and Development (CCAD) and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) of El Salvador, organised the workshop "Integrating Water Security in the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)." The event was held in San Salvador, El Salvador, on 27-29 October.
This year’s Stockholm World Water Week successfully launched the inclusion of a set of events dedicated to the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Region in the Week’s official programme, alongside the Regional Days for Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) had been selected and serves as the overall coordinator for these “MENA Focus” events. The Sessions were organized in partnership with a number of international regional institutions and organisations.
From November 4 to 5, 2015, GWP China Secretariat, in cooperation with GWP China Hebei and Chinese Academy of Press and Publication, with the support of Zhang River Administration that governs all issues related to Zhang River running cross Hebei Province and Henan Province, visited She County of Hebei Province and Linzhou County of Henan Province to get to know how they deal with the challenges of water shortage they faced due to climate change, including water use conflict, integrated use of different water resources and harmonious development between water resources and local eco-society.
In the 2015accounts audit report, the auditor's conclusion was the following: "We believe that the financial report of the Regional Water Partnership for West Africa (GWP/WA) and the CWPs (Burkina and Ghana) accurately reflect the statement and financial position of the Regional Water Partnership for West Africa and the CWPs (Burkina and Ghana) as of 31st December 2015, consistently with the GWP financial procedures.”
The way forward in 2016 is to strive to implement all partially implemented recommendations including those made in 2014 and those made as of 31st December, 2015. It should be noted that almost all new recommendations dating from 31st December 2015 have already been implemented prior to the finalization of the audit report in 2015 in Burkina Faso and for the region.
The National Climate Change Response Strategy (NCCRS) that was adopted in July 2014 was officially launched by the Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the 19th of November 2015 at Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare, Zimbabwe. The launch was attended by senior government officials, representatives from different organisations in the water sector and the local leadership drawn from the 9 Provinces around the country. The launch came at a time when Zimbabwe is stepping up efforts towards climate change adaptation and mitigation as witnessed by the development of the Strategy and the Intended National Determined Contributions (INDCs) to support the process.
During the 7th Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) on 10-14 July 2016, GWP is participating in several gatherings to address urban water issues and cement future partnerships. GWP is a Supporting Organization of the SIWW.
A review meeting on the 1st draft manuscript on the “Limpopo River Basin: Atlas of Our Changing Environment” took place in Johannesburg, South Africa on 23rd and 24th June, 2016. The planned outputs were met, as participants were able to discuss and strengthen the content; strengthen the visual impact of the atlas and identity case studies and hotspots. By the end of the meeting, the manuscript drafting team agreed to the comments submitted by participants which would once completed improve the content of the atlas and make it easy for planners to put to use.
GWP representatives are at the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, taking place 16-26 May. The focus is on GWP support for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, specifically in relation to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from countries, the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes, South-South Cooperation, and financing. On Thursday 19 May GWP is co-organising a high level side event together with the Government of Morocco, the UNFCCC Secretariat Adaptation Programme, and GIZ.