In preparation for detailed implementation of the WACDEP and in order to scale up the programme activities to other WACDEP countries, the 2nd WACDEP Technical Coordination workshop was held on 9-11 May 2012 in Cairo, Egypt just before the Africa Water Week.
Aiming to sow the seeds of cooperation on water and to forge links across sectors, GWP Myanmar, the Myanmar Irrigation Department and the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation brokered a meeting in August 2012 where government agencies, NGOs and journalists met to discuss water, energy and food security.
The 2012 World Water Week takes place on 26-31 August 2012 in Stockholm, Sweden. This year's theme is "Water and Food Security".
The cost of managing water resources to reach social, economic and environmental goals is increasing due to increased demands from urbanisation, population growth and climatic threats – to name but some of the future challenges.
GWP Southern Africa is recruiting a Regional Programme Officer and a Knowledge Management & Communication Officer. Deadlines: 17 August 2012.
Sudan, situated by the Red Sea is bordered by Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya and South Sudan. The final alignment between Sudan and South Sudan is still under pending negotiations and demarcation. The Nile and its tributaries are cutting through the country. Despite the presence of the Nile, the climate is arid desert; hot and dry. In terms of natural resources, Sudan has deposits of petroleum as well as small reserves of iron ore, copper and chromium ore.
Kenya is situated by the Indian Ocean, bordered by Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. The climate is tropical along the coast and arid in the interior. In terms of terrain, the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa. Kenya has deposits of, among other resources, limestone, soda ash, salt and gemstones.
Ethiopia is a landlocked state, bordered by Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan. Until quite recently, Ethiopia was not a landlocked state but in 1993, the entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea. On a different geographical note, the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia. The climate is tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation. In terms of natural resources, Ethiopia is not rich, although it has small reserves of gold, platinum, copper and natural gas.
Eritrea, situated by the Red Sea, is bordering Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan. This is a beneficial geopolitical position as it provides direct access to the world’s busiest shipping lane. The climate is hot; dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands. In terms of natural resources, Eritrea is rich in gold, potash, zinc and copper.
Uganda is a landlocked country and bordered on the west by the Democratic Republic of Congo, on the north by the Sudan, on the east by Kenya, and on the south by Tanzania and Rwanda.