Brisbane, Australia | July 25, 2025 — It has been an inspiring and learning-filled week at the 20th World Lake Conference (WLC20) in Brisbane, Australia, where global experts gathered to discuss the future of lake ecosystems in the face of mounting environmental pressures.
Over 70 representatives from fifteen African Union Member States gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from the 13 - 14 February 2025 for a training on AU Guidelines for the development of National Climate Resilient Water Investment Programmes. The training was part of the build-up to the 2025 AU-AIP Water Investment Summit which South Africa will host in the context of the G20 Presidency, and the 2026 UN Water Conference to be co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal.
The Integrated Management Plan for the Damour area in Lebanon under the GEF UNEP/MAP Programme, sets the paradigm for system-wide perspectives across geographical zones in natural resources management, promoting sustainable development, building climate resilience and protecting habitats across the Mediterranean region.
The Volta Flood and Drought Management (VFDM) project is drawing to a close after four (04) years of implementing activities in the six (06) countries of the basin. Among the last activities undertaken was a simulation exercise to disseminate warnings and organise the response in the event of flooding in the ten (10) pilot sites spread across the six (6) countries of the Volta basin.
The Pungwe River basin, shared by Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is rich in plant and animal diversity. However, the ecosystem is now under threat from human activities. In 2023, Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA) commissioned an Environmental Flow (EFlows) assessment to understand how the Pungwe River Basin and its ecosystems work, the findings of which will help in managing the river and protecting its natural environment.
For the Development of a project fiche in the form of a GCF Concept Note and related Project Preparation Facility (PPF) application for the project “Enhancing water security and farmers resilience in Assi River Basin through Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) solutions – Lebanon”
CWP Côte d'Ivoire (PNECI) requested and obtained an audience with the UNDP Resident Representative in Côte d'Ivoire. The audience enabled PNECI to inform the UNDP representative about the IWRM operationalisation process in Côte d'Ivoire and to request his support for its implementation.
The Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA) played a key role in the Drought Resilience +10 Conference held from 30 September to 2 October 2024 in Geneva. Building on the outcomes of the first High-Level Meeting on National Drought Policies in 2013, the conference focused on accelerating actions to build drought resilience worldwide. It gathered countries, experts, and practitioners to review progress in drought management and outline a collective path forward.
