China is at the heart of debates around the perceived trade-off between economic growth and environmental protection. Since the early 1990s, the country has experienced remarkable economic growth, lifting nearly 600 million people out of poverty and averaging a per capita GDP growth rate of 8.9%. The question of how to release water to growing urban areas and industries while continuing to increase farm production and rural incomes is therefore something of a political headache.Since 2000, the government’s desire to build an ‘ecological civilization’ has meant greater integration of economic development, environmental protection and poverty reduction in the country’s most important national planning documents and policy agendas. Promoting more efficient agricultural water use can encourage economic growth and is a good investment. China’s success in releasing water from its agricultural sector has allowed its industry and services to use the water saved to grow.
A new GWP perspectives paper outlines that the governance of land and water needs to be coordinated in order to feed the world’s growing population. The aim of the paper is to galvanise a discussion within the GWP network and the larger water, land, and development community.
Uneven geographical distribution, coupled with pressures from rapid population growth, increased urbanization, industrialization and environmental degradation, is a big challenge to the sustainable development of Uganda’s freshwater resources. However, the policy and institutional framework has advanced over the past two decades in Uganda. The policy and legal reform process started with the introduction of the Water Act (1995) and the Uganda Water Action Plan (1995). Other key policies included the National Water Policy (1999) and the Local Government Act (1997, 2000). A key Lesson learnt is that political support matters in achieving success, as does the nature and logic of the political system. In Uganda, political prioritization of water and poverty was central to progress. The depth and longevity of sector reform relies on political support, which can ebb and flow.
Water security is under intense pressure in many urban areas, and the very nature of urbanisation contributes to water stress situations both from a quantity and quality perspective. GWP – in collaboration with India Water Partnership and WAPCOS Limited – addresses urban water issues in a daylong workshop on Friday 16 January at India Water Week 2015.
GWPO has helped GWP-WAf secretariat to get an alternative power source based on solar energy technology to supplement it needs in Energy. The secretariat is based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso where power cuts are very frequent during the hottest period of the year, from March to June every year .
Mr. Antoine Diokel THIAW was elected Chairperson of the Senegalese Country Water Partnership (CWP) to replace Professor Serigne FAYE. The event occured during the last Partenres' meeting held in Dakar on December 6th, 2014. The regional secretariat was represented by the chair, professor Abel AFOUDA.
In Niger, the CWP held its Partners' meeting on December 13, 2014 in Niamey. Various reports were adopted in addition to 2015 work plan and budget. Participants elected Professor Bouréima OUSMANE as new Chair to replace Dr. Yahaya TOUNKARA. The vice-chair is the General Director of water resources and Mr. HAROUNA Mouminou is in charge of communication and Mrs Halimatou Mamane as the treasurer.
In Burkina Faso, Mr. Dibi MILLOGO was elected as new chair to replace Mr. Dieudonné NIKIEMA. He will be seconded by Mr. Robert NANA as vice chair. The Meeting was held on December 19, 2014.
In Ivory Coast, partners renewed the mandate of Mr. Ndri Koffi as chair during the meeting held on December 18, 2014.
Au Burkina, les partenaires ont renouvelé les organes du PNE en portant à la présidence M. Dibi MILLOGO en remplacement de M. Dieudonné NIKIEMA. Il sera accompagné de M. Robert NANA à la Vice-présidence. La rencontre des partenaires s’est tenue le 19 décembre 2014 à Ouagadougou.
En Côte d’Ivoire, les partenaires ont reconduit M. Ndri Koffi à la présidence à l’issue de l’Assemblée générale tenue le 18 décembre 2014 à Abidjan.
GWP West Africa would like to acknowledge the great contribution of Dr TOUNKARA, Mr. NIKYEMA and Prof. FAYE to the network life.
The Burkina Faso CWP has launched a call for applications for the recruitment of a consultant to carry out the study on the "Analysis of the current use of water resources leading to the definition of the situation reference to the use of water on the portion of the territory of Burkina Faso located in the Mekrou basin and the studies on existing IWRM plans, policies and green growth strategies and managing situations of drought and flood, energy policies and poverty reduction strategies in Burkina Faso" and the validation workshop of results by all actors of Burkina Faso. The same is done by CWP Benin and CWP Niger.
The WACDEP regional programme officer took part in the review and validation workshop of Volume 1 or updated status inventory report within the development process of the Master Plan for the Development Scheme and Water Management (SDAGE) of the Nakanbé Management area. The workshop organized by the Directorate General for Nakanbé Water Agency (DG-EAN) brought together members of the multisectoral monitoring committee Monday, November 24, 2014 at Nomgana, 20km from Ouagadougou.
The WACDEP/ West Africa team is supporting the Volta Basin Authority and regional partners institutions and partner governments to enhance project preparation and financing for climate resilience and water security projects. During the month of November this activity continued.