From 2007, the annual Southern African Development Community (SADC) Multi-Stakeholder Water Dialogues, organised by GWP Southern Africa on behalf of the SADC Water Division, have informed action plans at regional, river basin, national and local levels. Although the Dialogues encourage cross-sectoral integration, until now they have largely been regarded as meetings for 'water people'.
Government leaders attached great importance to the recommendations of the 4th Wei River Forum, held in October 2010 and organised by GWP China-Shaanxi together with Shaanxi Principal Water Resources Department.
GWP Central America has had a major input into the Central America IWRM strategy and action plan.
Two major events take place - a national celebration in Sofia city on 22-23 March and a regional conference in Veliko Tarnovo town on 22 March.
GWP Cameroon has cooperated with the Kumbo Urban Council and the locally managed Kumbo Water Authority to improve the management of water supply in Kumbo, Cameroon where the ownership of the water supply system has resulted in a more than thirty year long conflict.
Cancun, Mexico. 1st December, 2010.
Real development: national planning that integrates water resources management and adaptation
On the afternoon of December 1st, two representatives from GWP participated in two different panels of the Dialogs for Water and Climate Change. The first was “Bridging IWRM and National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs)” and the second was a Stakeholder’s Panel: “Urgencies to Adapt—Experiences and Constraints.”
(Photo: GWP Chair Dr Letitia A Obeng)
Media is often a critical link between policymakers and the public. The media focus on environmental issues is increasing, especially in light of the global interest in climate change. This is why GWP regularly organizes awareness-raising workshops for journalists. GWP South America and GWP Caribbean recently organised workshops as a first step to creating journalist networks for knowledge sharing in water resources management.
The GWP Steering Committee Meeting was held 18-21 May 2010 in Beijing.
GWP Chairperson Letitia A. Obeng, GWP Senior Advisor Alan Hall, and GWP-Technical Committee member Patricia Wouters attended the Department for International Development's (DFID) launch of a New Water and Sanitation Policy for Africa and Asia on October 28 in London.