The first-ever Flood Risk Management Strategy and Action Plan for the Drin Basin aiming to enhance flood preparedness, improve risk management, and foster mutual support across the basin was endorsed by the representatives of the Drin Riparians.
The theme of World Water Day 2024 is ‘Water for Peace’. On the occasion of World Water Day, we asked GWP CACENA partners what "Water for Peace" means to them.
The Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), in collaboration with the Global Water Partnership in West Africa (GWP-WA), the Pôle Eau de Dakar, the Secretariat of the Convention for the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes and partners, is organizing a process to capitalize on innovative and successful good practices in the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the WAEMU region.
Growing populations and climatic impacts are placing unprecedented pressure on water resources. This is true of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region which comprises 16 Member States, whose population in 2018, was estimated to be at 345.2 million, a rise from 336.9 million as of 2017. Rivers play a pivotal role in the region's socio-economic development, as evidenced by its reliance on these waterways. Southern Africa boasts of 15 major transboundary river basins, shared among neighbouring countries, with 13 basins entirely within the region's borders. However, the equitable distribution of water resources remains a challenge, exacerbated by climatic factors influencing rainfall patterns and the geographical distribution of river basins. While these rivers can spark conflicts, they also serve as conduits for peace and cooperation. Therefore, prioritizing transboundary water cooperation is not merely about economic prosperity but also essential for nurturing stability and harmony throughout the region.
The governments of Mozambique and Zimbabwe have established a tri-basin institution to manage the Buzi, Pungwe, and Save River Basins’ water resources, which have, over the years, suffered from extreme climate effects such as floods, droughts, and cyclones.
From 19th to 22nd September 2023, the 4th General Assembly meeting took place, hosted by the University of Milan. This gathering was set in the vicinity of Iseo Lake in the charming Italian town of Iseo. It brought together 60 representatives from the project consortium, offering them a platform to discuss the progress of their work.
The governments of Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the joint management and development of the Ruvuma/Rovuma River Basin, a transboundary river basin traversing across the three SADC member states. Ministers of Water from the three member states; Hon. Abida Mia from Malawi, Hon. Carlos Alberto Fortes Mesquita from Mozambique, and Hon. Jumas Hamidu Aweso from Tanzania, signed the MoU on behalf of their countries.
Following the development of the two project concept notes to be submitted to the Green Climate Fund under the ongoing GCF Readiness program in CAR, stakeholders from the water and climate sectors met in Bangui on March 13th and 14th, 2024. The two workshops organized by the Ministry of Environment, the National Climate Coordination Unit (NDA), and GWP CAR aimed at enriching and adopting the project concept notes before submission to the GCF.
Alignment and harmonization of individual workstreams as well as counterpart workstreams by all technical partners of the UNDP-GEF Limpopo project is critical to the success of the project. This was the key message that came out of the Integration Workshop for the project “Integrated Transboundary River Basin Management for the Sustainable Development of the Limpopo River Basin,” held on 7-8 February 2024 in a hybrid format coordinated from Pretoria, South Africa. The GEF-funded project is being implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with Global Water Partnership Southern African (GWPSA) as the regional executing agency.
