Urgency for a Water Secure World
Throughout the planet, a number of issues affecting the availability and state of water resources cause a growing concern. The population is increasing. Pollution is increasing. Development pressures are mounting. However, water supply is not. Water demand by people, agriculture, food production and industry heavily pressurizes the limited water supply of the planet and ecosystems which are also dependent on water.
Danube Day went global with celebrations at the 2008 World Water Expo
GWP Eastern Africa (GWP-EA), in collaboration with AMCOW and with funding from the AfDB, ran a survey of 12 countries to assess the state of IWRM planning and implementation.
GWP Ethiopia launched pilot projects in the Berki and Messena watersheds to promote IWRM, establish a framework for broader stakeholder participation, and enhance grassrootslevel water management practices.
In 2008, the governments of Mali and Senegal moved closer towards more sustainable management of water resources by finalising their national IWRM plans. This also means a step towards meeting the UN Millennium Development Goal target on access to clean drinking water.
Fifty water professionals attended a Capacity Building Workshop on Integrated Water Resources Management on November 25-28, 2008 in Skhoder Lake, Albania. The focus was on the conditions in the transboundary Drin River Basin.
The value of collaboration and partnership in addressing the water concerns that abound in the region was highlighted at the third Southeast Asia Water Form held on October 22-26, 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The GWP has mobilized its partners to promote a more integrated approach on how to deal with Danube's water resources.