Africa in particular its sub Saharan part, is one of the most affected areas in the world regarding food insecurity (Africa 2014 report on hunger, IFPRI). The agricultural sector which food security and poverty reduction depends very much on in Africa is likely to be affected by climate change if no action is taken. It is against that background that The Global Water Partnership Southern Africa held national consultations on water and food in Malawi and Lesotho on the 21st of April 2016.
The ‘Governance & Financing for the Mediterranean Water Sector’ Project was launched during a high–level conference organised by GWP-Med, in Barcelona, on 28-29 May 2013, in close cooperation and under the auspices of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Secretariat.
The Integrated Programme on Flood Management has started some activities at the end of 2015 in West Africa. The first drafts of country studies of Mali, Benin and Ivory Coast on the status and needs assessment on flood management in the Volta Basin are available.
The CWP has signed a convention with NGO AED for the implementation of the Integrated Drought Management Project (IDMP) demonstration pilot action in the country.
The Regional Technical Committee met for the first time since its establishment on 30 and 31 March 2016 in the offices of GWP / WA with the Secretariat and the President. The meeting allowed the members of the Technical Committee to update on the current dynamics within the GWP, in this transition period to the 2017-2019 work program in order to build its position to contribute in the way the most effective.
The Budget and Finance Committee is an ad hoc committee set up by the Steering Committee to review documents including work plans, budgets and progress and financial reports to give its opinion on the level of implementation GWP West Africa budgets.
Pr. Abel AFOUDA visited the secretariat from 21 to 26 March 2016. He discussed with the personnel all issues from traditional running ones to project technical and planning issues.
A scanned version of the Framework Agreement signed on December 21, 2015 by Benin, Burkina and Niger was transmitted to all members of the Advisory Committee, to the nine (9) Ministers related to NBA through the National Focal Structures of NBA, as well to the Regional Coordination of users of the natural resources of the Niger basin (CRU-ABN).
A regional water youth network was created by participants to the recent Youth for Water Conference organised by GWP Central America, Movimiento de Jóvenes por el Agua (Youth Movement for Water, MOJA) and La Ruta del Clima (The Climate Route) and supported by GWP South America, UNICEF-Nicaragua, Reforestamos Mexico, and IUCN.
Dr. Nicole Bernex is a Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and a Member of the GWP Technical Committee. She has been active in the GWP network for many years, the past ten of them through GWP Peru. When asked to talk about a topic close to her heart, Dr. Bernex chooses a project that GWP has been running successfully in Peru for the past two years, the Santa Eulalia Water, Climate and Development Programme.