Côte d’Ivoire is situated by the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean, bordering Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Guinea and Liberia. It has a tropical climate along the coast and semiarid in the far north. Its climate can be divided into three seasons: warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October). The country is very rich in natural resources and has large reserves of, among others, petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, cobalt, gold, coffee and palm oil.
The protection of the water resources of the Yellow River Basin, emergency response to environmental pollution and case studies of emergency response to water pollution in other countries were the main topics at a workshop on Water Resources Protection and Emergency Response Mechanisms to Water Pollution of the Yellow River.
Dongting Lake is the second largest freshwater lake in China and its basin is home to nearly 12 million people. Due to overuse, silting, sedimentation and decreasing inflows from the Yangtze River during the dry season, the environment is deteriorating, water shortages are more frequent and wetlands are shrinking.
In 2010, for the first time, GWP Southeast Asia and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) jointly organised the Expert Group Meeting, Monitoring Investment and Results in the Water Sector in Asia and Pacific, strengthening ties between the two organisations.
In July 2010 GWP South Asia conducted a 3-day dialogue and training workshop with the Water Integrity Network (WIN) during which they explored areas of possible strategic cooperation and were also exposed to water integrity methods, tools and materials.
Benin in West Africa belongs to the group of Least Developed Countries (LDC) with a low per capita GDP. Its economy is predominantly dependant on subsistence farming (extensive cotton production) and regional trade. The country is drained by a dense hydrographical network made up of seasonal flow rivers and less than 3% of its renewable water resources are currently used.
The new State Water Policy of Rajasthan, the largest state in India by area, puts the emphasis on two components: an integrated water resources management approach and the efficient working of Water User Groups (WUG). During 2010, GWP India with the support of its Northern Zone Water Partner, organized two workshops for the capacity building of NGOs involved in the implementation of the new policy.
GWP Southeast Asia recently organized country workshops to conduct a ten year (2000-2010) evaluation of IWRM implementation in Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam. The evaluations have provided platforms for Southeast Asian countries and stakeholders to exchange knowledge and experiences of the IWRM process and to promote international cooperation for better water resources management. A report with all the Southeast Asian countries will be available shortly at www.gwpsea.org.
The new State Water Policy of Rajasthan, the largest state in India by area, puts the emphasis on two components: an integrated water resources management approach and the efficient working of Water User Groups (WUG). During 2010, GWP India with the support of its Northern Zone Water Partner, organized two workshops for the capacity building of NGOs involved in the implementation of the new policy.