The inclusion of a water goal in the the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) puts the responsibility for linking water to other development sectors firmly in the hands of water policy makers and practitioners. GWP’s Technical Background Paper No. 22 addresses the implementation of the water goal in the context of an integrated, cross-sectoral approach.
Given the importance of WRCC in coordinating water resource management in West Africa in particular and that of ECOWAS generally politically and economically, and because of the many joint initiatives underway, GWP / WA met with the Director of WRCC, Ibrahim Babatunde WILSON. The GWP delegation led by its Chair, Prof. Afouda, included the Executive Secretary and the Mekrou and IDMP projects officers.
The two organizations raised a number of initiatives underway at GWP / WA of which WRCC is an integral part, including the Mekrou project, IDMP, or those in which the WRCC should take the lead like the initiative on the regional dialogue on the joint management of shared aquifers in West Africa.
Around the world, World Water Day 2014 was celebrated by many, with activities connected to the theme of water and energy. GWP launched a new video, as well as a new Strategy, Towards 2020, in connection with World Water Day, and the day was celebrated across the GWP regions.
GWP SA (through GWPO), has now been engaged by UN Water to organize post 2015 national consultations on water between February and end of March 2014. The consultations have been held in three countries – Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. This process is facilitated by GWPO through its regional and country networks - UN Water having given GWP this role because of GWP’s stakeholder platforms across the world.
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are deemed to be some of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change. This is in part attributed to sea-level rise, coupled with the small size of these territories amidst growing populations and other development challenges. Of these development challenges, achieving water security remains an enduring issue which will only be further exacerbated by the threat of climate change.
Within the framework of the implementation of the programme for “Water and Youth”, GWP-CAf and its partner Water For Life Cameroon, a youth led-organization held from February 6th - 27th 2016 a series of four traineeship workshops on hygiene coaching for the primary schools of Yaoundé II.
The traineeship was included in the line of the hygiene promotion project in primary schools entitled “ soap for healthy lives” developed by NGO Water For Life Cameroon.
The kick off ceremony was championed by the new GWP-Chair on February 6th, 2016 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. 13 participants, representing 10 youth led-organizations, attended the different training sessions.
The workshops centered their deliveries on four main modules like: Water-borne diseases: Transmission, Demonstration and Preventative measures; WASH in schools and rights to water and sanitation; the academic environment and the child psychology finally the class animation techniques.
On March 31st 2014, the Costa Rican Congress passed the new Water Law. For over a decade the Central American countries have been working on reforming their water legislative and institutional frameworks, and one of the pioneers in this process has been Costa Rica.
In accordance with Protocol of Intentions signed on 20th December 2013 between the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Uzbekistan and Korean Institute of Construction Technology (KICT) about development of information system for water sector of Uzbekistan, Regional Secretariat of GWP CACENA arranged a working visit of KICT delegation to Uzbekistan during 11-18 May 2014. The delegation included Dr. Kim Hyun Jun, Director of Department in KICT, Dr. Hong Ilpyo, Project Manager and Mr. Lee Joonseok, IT Expert.
The Regional Secretariat of GWP Eastern Africa assisted with technical and financial support to a meeting in Mogadishu to launch a Somalia Country Water Partnership on 29th January 2014. As a result of the meeting, Somalia is soon set to join GWP by establishing a Country Water Partnership.