The national workshop to validate the results of three studies carried out on behalf of the Mékrou Project in Benin in 2014 was held on 8 and 9 January 2015 in Cotonou. These studies examined the reports on the National Consultation on the project objectives, on the participatory institutional diagnosis consultation with all major stakeholders and on the participatory assessment of existing capacity and needs in capacity building. This workshop is organized by the Country Water Partnership of Benin (Benin CWP), which, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Water (DG Water) and the National Water Institute (INE), coordinate the project in Benin, on behalf of GWP / WA.
Global Water Partnership (GWP) invites all Partners to its annual GWP Network Meeting on 1 June 2015. This year’s meeting will be held online - www.gwp.org - broadcast by live stream, with an opportunity to watch a taped version of the event afterwards.
With the collapse of the USSR, the water sector seized to be subsidised leading to deterioration of basic infrastructure. Action was taken to partially transfer the responsibility for operation and maintenance of irrigation systems to water users. Nonetheless, this has had limited success because it has been seen as an additional cost rather than benefit. This illustrates that for this to work, the returned benefits need to be higher than the costs.
In Turkey, operations and maintenance for irrigation systems was highly centralised, but this imposed an increasing institutional and financial burden on the government. Action has consequently been taken to transfer irrigation management to Water User Associations. The key insight from this case is that legal reforms should accompany institutional changes to enable full benefits to be gained.
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.
Activities such as horticulture and tourism around the Great Barrier Reef create sediment, nutrient and pesticide runoff, placing increased pressure on the ecosystem. The World Wildlife Fund has taken action, predominantly by raising awareness. The key lesson is how a carefully orchestrated campaign can convince decision-makers of the importance of integrated river basin management as a means of reducing land-based marine pollution.
The 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) took place in Sendai, Japan, 14-18 March. The planned outputs were met, with the announcement of a Declaration and a new Outcome Document to replace the Hyogo Framework for Action; the UN's previous disaster risk reduction deal, which expires in 2015.
The Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) is seeking a Programme Officer to assist in the execution of its Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP) for the Caribbean and to provide general support to the GWP-C work programme.
The Global Water Partnership (GWP) and The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have jointly developed a Strategic Framework for WASH Climate Resilient Development. The publication is a response to growing demands from governments, development partners and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) practitioners.
Participation in the Climate Info Session To Support Ghana On The Road To Paris Global Agreement
The Project Manager, Mr. Maxwell Boateng-Gyimah and the Young Professional, Isaac Barnes, participated in an Information Session at the conference room of WASCAL in Accra on 17th June, 2015. This session was organised by the European Union in Ghana in collaboration with West Africa Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL). The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Frédéric Clavier, the French Ambassador to Ghana and Ambassador John Benjamin, British High Commissioner to Ghana. Other participating institutions included the French Embassy, Environmental protection Agency (EPA), Kasa Ghana, and Water Aid Ghana (WAG).