A regional workshop to review and finalize the project document on the "Dialogue on the Concerted Management of Groundwater in West Africa" was held from 10 to 12 July 2013 in Koudougou, Burkina Faso.
Oil-shale mining and oil-shale based electricity production has caused serious damage to ground and surface water in the Viru-Peipsi catchment area in Estonia. Action was taken to enhance the protection of the water resources through a project that set out a management plan. The project included data collection, monitoring and capacity building. Due to the success of this project, it can be used as an example for future developments.
The San Juan River waters have experienced deterioration due to poor management of its basin. To address the issues, action has been taken to implement IWRM to address the areas of water, soil, forests and municipal development in a cross-sectoral manner. This case study is a good reminder of the integrated nature of IWRM, and the importance of a model that accounts for management of both water and land.
This is a selection of some of the news in 2014 that featured Global Water Partnership and/or GWP representatives.
Collaboration among West African countries has led to the development of IWRM action plans in Togo, Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire, and IWRM roadmaps in Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone.
GWP Executive Secretary Dr. Ania Grobicki moderated a debate on water and sanitation at the UN General Assembly in New York on 18 February 2014. After the debate was over, Dr. Grobicki said that a global water goal is far from being a done deal.
Decentralised small water retention measures are important sources of water during dry periods in Central and Eastern Europe, according to drought experts who met on 28-29 October in Warsaw, Poland.
GWPSA is a key partner involved in the implementation of some WaterNet Activities. These activities are currently being guided by the Phase III WaterNet Strategy (2012-2016), themed “Achieving Sustainability by Increasing Impact”. GWPSA’s main area of involvement has been through the WaterNet/Water Research Fund for Southern Africa (WARFSA)/GWP-SA Symposia, which have been held annually in the Eastern and Southern African regions for the past thirteen years.