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Climate change effects, including more extreme phenomena like droughts and floods, are likely to exacerbate the situation, both in the south and north of the Mediterranean. Adaptation measures require effective water resources management. Given that several climate-related aspects remain uncertain, ‘no-regret’ actions present a sustainable way for responding to challenges. Furthermore, aiming at adaptation-mitigation co-benefits through interlinking water, land, energy and environment interventions, could provide tangible solutions and promote innovation in the region.

A media training targeting local journalists who report on environmental, water and climate change issues was undertaken at Rainbow Towers in Harare, Zimbabwe on the 17^th of March 2015. The media training forms part of the programme on the SADC Water Weeks which will be held in each of the 15 SADC member states spearheaded by the SADC Water Sector under the auspices of the Infrastructure and Services Directorate. The National Water Weeks, running under the theme “From Vision to Action” are supporting SADC to have a platform in interacting with member states on water resources management strategic issues. The Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWP SA) is playing a role in providing support in undertaking this initiative. GWPSA has partnered with the Inter Press Service (IPS) Africa in conducting the media trainings.

Gaborone, 11th March 2015

The Water Sector of the Southern African Development (SADC) today begins holding of three-day-long SADC National Water Weeks in each Member State to gather input towards the formulation of the fourth phase of the Regional Water Programme.

This year’s World Water Day theme is “Water and Sustainable Development”. Preparatory work for celebrating the day is underway in several countries, with the main UN celebration taking place in New Delhi, India, on 20 March. Building up to the event, GWP’s #watergoal campaign has been stepped up.

GWP Central America organized a workshop for 25 municipal leaders and technical personnel of civil society that work on water issues. The event, which focused on risk management, took place in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on February 23-27.

Stemming from the realisation of the inherent linkages between governance and the mobilisation of financial resources for the water sector, the aim of the Governance & Financing for the Mediterranean Water Sector Project has been to diagnose related bottlenecks and identify plausible and realistic recommendations to help overcome them.

A validation workshop was held on 19 and 20 February 2015 in Niamey, Niger for the validation of three studies carried out in December 2014. The first one was on the national consultation on the objectives and methodology of the Mekrou project, the second one on the institutional participatory diagnosis and the third one on the assessment of existing capacities and the needs for capacity building for knowlegde management organizations in the country.

1. Mekrou Project is studying the impact on the W Park
A study is being carried by the Country Water Partnership of Benin to collect ecnomic data on the visitors of the W Park that covers part of the Mekrou Basin. The assessment is initiated by the Joint Research Center (JCR) with the support of GWP West Africa.

The Executive Secretary, Dam MOGBANTE and the Mekrou Project Manager, Corneille AHOUANSOU met the Executive Secretary of the Niger Basin Authority in Niamey. The meeting aimed at get the NBA to record the Mekrou Project in the agenda of their Ministerial Council to be held at the end of the year for the signature of the Framework and mechanism for cooperation. The NBA ES showed readiness to collaborate with GWP-WAF on various initiatives.

GWP West Africa and the Country Water Partnership (CWP) of Burkina Faso animated a booth during the first forum on water and sanitation in Ouagadougou from 12 to 14 February 2015. The event took place around the topic : "permanent access for all to water and sanitation by 2030: Strategies, concrete solutions and commitments of relevant parties".