The Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM) is a joint initiative of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP). It promotes the concept of Integrated Flood Management (IFM). The programme has been financially supported by the governments of Japan, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. The APFM is being developed as a series of regional nodes, starting with Central Europe, South America, Central America, Southern Africa and South Asia.
Following the successful implementation of the National Integrated Flood Management (IFM) Programme - Role of Community 2012 last year in Kuala Lumpur, which was attended by participants from the states of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor, the same programme was again planned for this year, but held only at the State of Pahang on 7th September 2013.
The 2013 event, aimed at raising awareness and disseminating information to communities living in flood-proned areas in the State of Pahang, was organised by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Malaysia and MyWP Capacity Building Network (MyCBNet) in collaboration with Malaysian Water Partnership (MyWP) and MyCWP.
First workshop of the Integrated Drought Management Programme in Central and Eastern Europe was held on 15-16 October in Hodrusa Hamre.
The Coordination and Change project of the Limpopo Basin Development Challenge (LBDC), under the leadership of FANRPAN, GWP SA and WaterNet, is organizing a one and a half day workshop on 21-22 October 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“Water is fundamental, water unites, water connects. Safeguard and rehabilitate ecosystems and water. There is a need for a dedicated water goal.” These are the major messages from the Budapest Water Statement which was endorsed by the participants at the high-level meeting “Budapest Water Summit” at the closing session on 11 October 2013.
GWP Armenia and GWP Turkmenistan have conducted several projects focused on schools. The purpose is to engage more young people in water resources management.
GWP’s Water, Climate, and Development Programme has been formally introduced in Central America. Launch events have taken place in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, and there will be events in Guatemala and El Salvador by the end of October.
Michael Mutale from Zambia is the first ever winner of the UNESCO-IHE Alumni Award 2013. Mr. Mutale has been involved with GWP since its early days in 1996, and was instrumental in setting up many of GWP’s projects in Southern Africa.
The Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) has received the support of a number of Caribbean Ministers with responsibility for water; senior government officials from different sectors; national and regional agencies; and key partners, all of whom attended the launch of the GWP-C’s Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP) for the Caribbean on October 10th, 2013 in Barbados.
During the month of September, Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) through the support of its partner, the National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) of Grenada presented the winner of the 2013 GWP-C Media Awards on Water, Mr. Milton Coy with his winning prize.