GWP conducted a training course on the “Application of the GWP IWRM ToolBox” at the Yerevan State University in Armenia, 25-26 April 2012. One of the main purposes of the training was to demonstrate how the GWP IWRM ToolBox can be used in university curricula.
At the request of the countries, a mission from GWP West Africa visited Gambia and Sierra Leone 19-28 September 2011, to follow up on the will expressed in 2009, during the development process of the IWRM roadmap, to set up GWP Country Water Partnerships. Exchanges on the importance of transboundary waters and their management mechanisms such as the UN Convention on International Water Courses were also discussed.
GWP South America is working on the implementation of a new Latin American Training Programme on Water Legislation for International River Basins. This programme aims to encourage improved international cooperation and facilitate good water governance in the region. Its main outputs will be three training workshops, a manual to support training processes and a monitoring report which will identify knowledge gaps, capacity needs, lessons learned and follow-up needs.
In Slovenia, water is extracted for drinking water, energy, fish-farming, irrigation and technological purposes. In order to avoid over-extraction, an Environmental Flow framework has been implemented, assessing within what limits water can be extracted, using hydromorphological, hydrological, hydraulic and ecological criteria. The case shows that it is important to combine policy decisions with expert evaluations.
Thanks to an innovative partnership between the Global Water Partnership and the IHP-HELP Centre for Water Law, Policy & Science, under the auspices of UNESCO, based at the University of Dundee, the first joint group of International Water Law Scholars from Cameroon, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Ukraine and Zambia were able to begin their studies by attending the 2nd Annual Workshop on International Law and Transboundary Freshwaters, held at the University of Dundee.
The Global Water Partnership of West Africa, whose official abbreviation is "GWP/WA" was established in 2002 by water partners of the west african sub-region. GWP/WA is the regional branch of the Global Water Partnership.
Caribbean Ministers with responsibility for water, along with regional water managers and other experts, met to discuss “Water Management Financing in the Caribbean” at the GWP Caribbean and the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association’s (CWWA) 7th Annual High Level Session (HLS) on October 6-7, 2011, in Guadeloupe. One of the major issues at the Ministerial Forum was the need for regional governments to decide whether water utilities are to be run as a social service or a business.
Following a decision to decentralise water and wastewater services, many questions regarding the sustainable financing of water and waste services was raised. Recognising that economic and financial conditions are critical to the effectiveness of various tariff and effluent charge reforms, a financial model (ASTEC) was devised. This case demonstrates the value of using economic instruments to support the implementation of IWRM management objectives.
The Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) Secretariat had the unique experience of spending the day at the headquarters of its newest partner, the Toco Foundation on September 14th, 2011.
The 3rd China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum was held in Trinidad on September 12th – 13th, 2011.