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“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.

The twin challenges of accessing water and energy for food and agriculture are central to reducing poverty and hunger in Asia. GWP’s latest Technical Focus Paper compares and contrasts the ways in which India and China tackle the challenge of harnessing water resources under growing water scarcity and competing demand. It argues that a global water battle is likely to be focused on Asia.

GWP works with strategic allies on thematic programmes as part of its work to see IWRM implemented in different contexts.

WACDEP CACENA was formulated by Global Water Partnership in Central Asia and Caucasus to initiate development of the regional agenda on climate change adaptation. There is a big differentiation in renewable water resources availability among the countries within the GWP CACENA region. The biggest part of the territory is located in the arid and semi-arid climate, and irrigated agriculture accounts for about 80-90 % of total water use. The most common challenging issues for the Caucasian sub-region are the low access to proper drinking water supply and sanitation, water ecosystems degradation, floods and, in some zones - water scarcity. For Central Asia they are increasing water deficit (droughts in irrigated zones) and water ecosystems degradation. Climate change aggravates all these problems. The programme will provide planning support to governments of CACENA countries for better preparing to climate change and for improving water security.

To improve monitoring and management of river basins in Slovakia, a project was initiated among secondary school students with the objective to attract the attention of young generation to the protection of the river basin and to mobilise the interest of local communities in public campaigns to improve the quality of river basin. The key lesson drawn from this case study is that linking education activities and local communities campaigns are effective tool for public participation.

After the USSR was dissolved, Romania has experienced water scarcity for agriculture. The World Bank and USAID are providing loans/funds for irrigation projects and to strengthen water users associations. This case thus illustrates that irrigation subsidies may be needed to support agriculture until farming efficiency improves and returns from the sale of agricultural products can cover costs.

The online registration and the call for papers and proposals for the 5^th Africa Water Week is now open. The deadline for papers and proposals is March 22^nd 2014. The 5^th Africa Water Week will be held in Dakar, Senegal from 26^th to 31^st of May 2014. Overall theme: Placing Water at the Heart of the Post 2015 Development Agenda!

 

http://africawaterweek.com/5th/

GWP contributed to three regional training workshops in Ethiopia for Anglophone and Francophone African Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to advance their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) through the NAP Global Support Programme (GSP).

A series of 22 country consultations took place from February to May 2013 to address the importance of water to national development.

“Mission Water”, the Non Conventional Water Resources Programme in Cyprus, was initiated in 2013 by the Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med), in partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation and Lanitis Bros (Coca-Cola bottler in Cyprus). The Programme’s activities are implemented in collaboration with the Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus and the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE). The Programme is funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation through a two-year grant (2013-2015) of 400,000 US dollars.