Between 2017 and 2023, global performance on implementing integrated water resources management (IWRM) increased from 49% to 57%. However, the current rate of progress would need to at least double in order to meet the 2030 goal on clean water and sanitation (SDG 6).
The 3rd WEFE Inter-ministerial Group meeting led by the Ministry of Energy and Water, Lebanon and facilitated by GWP-Med under the GEF UNEP/MAP MedProgramme addressed the issue of water data availability and gaps, marking a step forward towards cross-institutional collaboration, essential for integrated natural resources management.
Water security is key for Zambia’s sustainable and climate-resilient development. Water security is a critical factor for Zambia to achieve its developmental aspirations as outlined in Vision 2030 and other policy documents. However, assuring water security, particularly for the future is increasingly becoming a daunting task in the face of climate change and social inequalities such as gender imbalances.
The Pungwe River basin, shared by Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is rich in plant and animal diversity. However, the ecosystem is now under threat from human activities. In 2023, Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA) commissioned an Environmental Flow (EFlows) assessment to understand how the Pungwe River Basin and its ecosystems work, the findings of which will help in managing the river and protecting its natural environment.
The “Drina Nexus Roadmap”, was praised for its potential to guide transboundary cooperation towards sustainable development in the Drina basin, by high-level panelists at the Sarajevo Energy and Climate Week. The Roadmap was developed in 2022 by Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean together with the UNECE, in the frame of the SEE Nexus project funded by the Austrian Development Agency.
During the 2nd Pinios Pilot Technical Workshop organised in the framework of the Horizon 2020 REXUS project, whereby GWP-Med is leading the Communication Work Package, local media featured interviews and articles by the projects partners and highlighted the participatory process of designing a sustainable future for the basin.
The GIZ, GWPSA, and Lesotho Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) Coordination Unit (CU) undertook a learning exchange mission in Zambia from 24th to 28th October 2022, to capture best practices and experiences in catchment protection and restoration in the country. This engagement was aimed at the technical public service directors and heads of mandated institutions responsible for water, land, meteorology, local government, environment, food, and agriculture.
Building on the 10-year legacy of the "Mission Water" program, which implemented 19 technical solutions in Cyprus that save more than 38 million litres of water every year, "Zero Drop - Mission Water" is a new program which aims to promote the use of recycled water and improve the irrigation of green spaces in Cyprus, while saving 5,000,000 litres of water annually.
