UNCCD COP16 is set to be the largest conference in the Convention's history, with high expectations for impactful outcomes, particularly in addressing drought. Held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2-13 December 2024, this COP will bring together global leaders, experts, and stakeholders to accelerate solutions for land restoration, resilience to drought, and sustainable land management under the theme “Our Land. Our Future.”
Alignment and harmonization of individual workstreams as well as counterpart workstreams by all technical partners of the UNDP-GEF Limpopo project is critical to the success of the project. This was the key message that came out of the Integration Workshop for the project “Integrated Transboundary River Basin Management for the Sustainable Development of the Limpopo River Basin,” held on 7-8 February 2024 in a hybrid format coordinated from Pretoria, South Africa. The GEF-funded project is being implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with Global Water Partnership Southern African (GWPSA) as the regional executing agency.
The Pungwe River Basin originates in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe and flows through Mozambique into the Indian Ocean. About 5 % of the basin area is in Zimbabwe, with the remainder in Mozambique. However, about 28% of basin flows are generated on the Zimbabwean side. The basin is rich in plant and animal diversity, which is constantly under threat from anthropogenic activities.
Since its inception in 2003, GWPEA has partnered with various organizations to address water security issues in the Eastern Africa and Nile Basin region. As a custodian of integrated water resources management (IWRM) in the Region, GWPEA draws on 20 years of multi-level implementing experience, enabled by a functional interface with global development agendas, leadership, and finance flows.
The Global Water Leadership in a Changing Climate programme (GWL) has held multi-stakeholder consultations in seven countries identifying the most critical barriers to climate-resilient water management. Working groups have now been formed to investigate these barriers and develop responses, beginning with a ‘root cause analysis’. Updates from three countries follow.
After three years of intensive work, the GEMWET project has successfully concluded, proving that environmental conservation and sustainable development is a win-win recipe that benefits communities, promotes economic prosperity and ensures the protection of natural resources.
