The African continent has the highest number of transboundary river basins that collectively cover 64% of Africa’s surface area and contain just over 93% of its surface water resources. These rivers are shared between many countries. While a common water resource is a potential source of conflict, it also has tremendous potential as a driver for economic growth on the African continent where, for example, less than 4% of the available water is utilised, and less than 7% of the hydropower potential is realised.
Until recently it was rare for water professionals to consider financing issues. Water advocacy and plans were often aspirational – neglecting to show where the money would come from, how activities would be financed or who would pay for them. It was as if finance was somebody else’s problem. Likewise, people from the finance sector have not given great importance to water related issues. However, this situation is changing and finance is becoming an essential topic in water management circles.
24 November 2008, Tirana, Albania
The Consultation Meeting on Integrated Management of the extended Drin River Basin was organised in Tirana, Albania, 24 November 2008 by the Albanian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Global Water Partnership Mediterranean (GWP-Med), with the financial support of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
The 3rd International Conference “AQUA 2008” on Water Science and Technology with emphasis on water & climate was held on 16 -19 October 2008, Athens, Greece, by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dpt. of Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, the Association of Greek Chemists, the Mediterranean Information Office for the Environment Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE) and the Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med), under the auspices of the European Association of Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS).
21-22 July 2008, Athens Greece
The 5th Conference of the Water Directors of the Euro-Mediterranean and South-Eastern European Countries took place in Athens, 21-22 July 2008.
16-18 July 2008, Ohrid
A Capacity Building Workshop on "Integrated Management of Shared Lakes Basins", was organised in Ohrid FYR Macedonia, 16-18 July 2008 by the Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med) and the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO/ECSDE) in cooperation with the GEF/UNDP "Integrated Ecosystem Management in the Prespa Lakes Basin of Albania, FYR-Macedonia and Greece" project and the FYR Macedonian Ministry for Environment and Physical Planning.
25 October 2007, Larnaca, Cyprus
The “Nostrum-Dss & INECO Joint Event” was successfully held on the 25 Oct. 2007, Larnaca, Cyprus. A large number of EU project coordinators, researchers, and representatives of relevant International Institutions (i.e. MED-EUWI, GWP-Med, DFID, CEDARE, Cap-Net UNDP, EC-DG EuropeAid, ICS-UNIDO), including European Commission representatives participated to exchange scientific knowledge and project results on different topics in the domain of water resources management in the Mediterranean Region.
The 6th Meeting of the Circle of Mediterranean Parliamentarians for Sustainable Development (COMPSUD) took place on May 3-4, in Corfu island, Greece, with the participation of 30 MPs from 15 countries and representatives of regional organisations. The Meeting concluded with the Corfu Declaration.
Hammamet-Médenine, Tunisia, 22-26 November 2007
The first workshop organized within the framework of the MELIA project "Water culture and water conflict in the Mediterranean area" will be celebrated in Tunisia from the 22nd to the 26th of November.
Tripoli, Libya, 11-12 April 2007
Following up on the Regional Seminar on IWRM Planning in North Africa (Rabat, 24-25 January 2006), which assessed progress and discussed the challenges towards achieving the IWRM in the countries of North Africa, a Workshop on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Libya will take place in Tripoli, Libya, on 11 and 12 April 2007.