On Wednesday 31 January 2018, the Via Water project was launched in Cotonou, Benin. The launch ceremony took place under the sponsorship of the Deputy Secretary General of the Minister of Water and Mines, in the presence of the actors of the consortium in charge of the said project, the representatives of public structures of the sub-sector, the Ministry of Health, the young water professionals of the Beninese Network of Youth of the World Water Parliament (RB/PMJE) and the economic operators of the water sector.
A practical guide on “Governance of Coastal Wetlands in the Mediterranean – a Handbook”, was elaborated and launched, with contributions by Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med) by its Chair, Prof. M. Scoullos.
On December 17-20, 2018, stakeholders from the Lancang-Mekong river basin countries shared their lessons of natural disasters control and future vision on joint programmes regarding the sustainable river development in Dali, Yunnan Province.
The period between 2011 and 2016 saw Global Water Partnership Africa Coordination Unit (GWP –CU) mobilising Euro 19.5 million for water security and climate resilience development in Africa through the Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP).
Bhutan Water Partnership (BhWP) aligned to the World Water Day theme ‘Nature for Water: exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century’ conducted a drainage cleaning exercise on 22 March in Thimphu, Bhutan.
Global Water Partnership, in collaboration with the African Water Facility (AWF), African Development Bank (Afdb), Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF), Climate Resilience Infrastructure Development Facility (CRIDF), and Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) is organizing, in consultation with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), a “Workshop on Project Preparation for Transformative Climate Resilient GCF Water Projects in Africa”.
It was during the 8th Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) River Basin Organisations (RBOs) workshop that took place from 8-9th May, 2018 in Windhoek, Namibia that participants recommended that SADC RBOs should play a more active role in facilitating investment for water, energy and food security in the region.
On Friday, August 31, 2018, GWP-WA hosted the consultant mandated by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification who is conducting a literature review on drought management initiatives in Burkina Faso. Professor Michel SEDOGO, recruited as a consultant, has the mission of helping Burkina Faso to develop a National Drought Management Plan.
Recent droughts and floods in Southern Africa region have served as a reminder that a silo approach to planning and investing in water security is no longer suitable due to changing climate and pressure on natural resources.
