The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, through the Commission's Water Resources Management Centre (WRMC), organised from 13 to 15 March 2023 in Lomé, Togo, the Regional Preparatory Concertation for the United Nations (UN) Water Conference of March 2023 and on the Strengthening of West African Cooperation on Water-related Issues
The 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), which convened in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, from 30 November to 12 December, has now drawn to a close. It was a time for countries to recalibrate climate action, and as a leading authority on water governance, Global Water Partnership was active throughout.
At the 1st Mediterranean Green Week, co-organised by the Union for the Mediterranean and the OECD in Istanbul, the key role of the WEFE Nexus approach in tackling major Mediterranean challenges was highlighted, especially through partnerships such as the joint efforts under the GEF UNEP/MAP MedProgramme in promoting environmental security and building resilience against climate change.
"Young people are a very important force for both sustainable development and rational management of water resources. In the West African sub-region, this force is very under-used. GWP is therefore working with organisations at regional and sub-regional levels as well as youth movements to make their voices heard so that they are more involved and sustained in the decision-making processes of the water sector, in the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement, of the SDG #6 in the West African region. Young people are the successors of tomorrow, and nothing can or should be done without them”.
Growing populations and climatic impacts are placing unprecedented pressure on water resources. This is true of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region which comprises 16 Member States, whose population in 2018, was estimated to be at 345.2 million, a rise from 336.9 million as of 2017. Rivers play a pivotal role in the region's socio-economic development, as evidenced by its reliance on these waterways. Southern Africa boasts of 15 major transboundary river basins, shared among neighbouring countries, with 13 basins entirely within the region's borders. However, the equitable distribution of water resources remains a challenge, exacerbated by climatic factors influencing rainfall patterns and the geographical distribution of river basins. While these rivers can spark conflicts, they also serve as conduits for peace and cooperation. Therefore, prioritizing transboundary water cooperation is not merely about economic prosperity but also essential for nurturing stability and harmony throughout the region.
At the recent High-Level Forum for Ministers with responsibility for Water (HLF-Water) held in Guyana, the Inter-American Development Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank provided feedback to Ministers and heads of utilities on progress towards establishing the Caribbean Water Utilities Insurance Collective (CWUIC). So what is this about?
Between 2017 and 2023, global performance on implementing integrated water resources management (IWRM) increased from 49% to 57%. However, the current rate of progress would need to at least double in order to meet the 2030 goal on clean water and sanitation (SDG 6).
As part of the implementation of the TFTC 2 country project in Benin in the commune of Tanguiéta, capacity building activities were organized in February 2022 for young students and members of the Local Water Committee (CLE) on plant production.
