Three-day AWC First General Assembly-Summary Report
Reported by HE Mr. Watt Botkosal
Regional Chair, GWPSEA on 30 March 2016
The 1st Asia Water Council General Assembly was hosted and Co-organized by Ministry of Public Works and Housing and AWC Secretariat on 24-26 March 2016, Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa, Bali, Indonesia. The AWC was established by 15 Founders of Countries and international Agencies since the 7th World Water Week in Korea. The AWC aims to raise global awareness of Asia’s water problems and promote the sustainable development of Asia by resolving regional water issues. The General Assembly aimed to discuss the AWC Constitution and the operation plan for the AWC and to share the commitments from Founders. The General Assembly was attended by about 200 participants from about 50 organizations including Minister, Vice-Minister, Directors General, Directors, Chairpersons, AWC Secretariat, national and international organizations from Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia such as UNESCO-IHP, FAO, and ADB (Asian Development Bank), KOICA, Representative of GWP SEA, Country Water Partnership of Indonesia, national agencies etc.
A GWP delegation including the Coordinator, the Project manager and by the chair met with the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) Executive Secretary and some her colleagues on May 10, 2016. The discussions focused on how to start the implementation of the framework agreement for the promotion of political dialogue in the Mékrou tranboundary river basin signed in December 2015 by the three countries. To start with it was sugggested that the issue be included in the agenda of the next NBA council of ministers.
The Youth associations of Cameroon selected by the COY Steering Committee to organize a Conference of Youth (COY) in Cameroon met on August 13th, 2016 to agree on the preparation of the 12th Local COY.
A total of 15 leaders from six Cameroon Youth associations such as Women In Development (WID), Association of African Students (AEA); Voices United To Serve Forest and Environment (USFE); Synergie/Action des Jeunes pour l'Encadrement et la Promotion des Hommes Complets (SAJEPHCO); GIC FOREDEV and YEMA actively took part in the consultation meeting which was the second of its kind and held on preparations for the Local COY12.
The meeting aimed at gathering the views of stakeholders on the realism of the guidance document of the Local COY 12 and especially defining the strategy to tie up the final preparations for this global event in order to implement it at national level.
It also provided the framework for an exchange / experience sharing between participants on the previous COY. GWP -CAf staff to provide them with advice on the development of projects related to climate and present them the vision and mission of GWP.
During this meeting, a brainstorming was done around the different activities likely to be part of the agenda of the event. There was among others a series of refresher training workshop on the ins and outs of COY12, then on the concept of climate change as well as the organization of power walk finally a panel discussion/conference on climate.
The GWP’s annual Regional Days were took place in Stockholm from 10 to 13 May.