China Water Risk and China Dialogue release "China's Long March To Drinking Water", a report on the true status of China's urban and rural drinking water in March, 2015.
The 7th SADC Multi Stakeholder Water Dialogue, a biennial activity which provides a platform for regional stakeholders to discuss and share experiences on different aspects of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) will this year be held from the 29th to the 30th of September in Windhoek, Namibia. Running under the theme “Watering Development in SADC: The central role of water in driving industrialization” this year's Water Dialogue will focus on unpacking the role that water will play in driving industrialisation in the region. [Read more on previous dialogues]
In accordance with Protocol of Intentions signed on 20th December 2013 between the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Uzbekistan and Korean Institute of Construction Technology (KICT) about development of information system for water sector of Uzbekistan, Regional Secretariat of GWP CACENA arranged a working visit of KICT delegation to Uzbekistan during 11-18 May 2014. The delegation included Dr. Kim Hyun Jun, Director of Department in KICT, Dr. Hong Ilpyo, Project Manager and Mr. Lee Joonseok, IT Expert.
Aimed at integrating climate change considerations in water and soil conservation planning in Tunisia, the Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) has established, in the framework of its WACDEP Programme (Water, Climate and Development Programme), a very beneficial collaboration with the Department for Planning and Conservation of Agricultural Lands at the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture and the Regional Department for Agriculture in Bizerte, in Tunisia’s North.
Global Water Partnership Eastern Africa ( GWPEA)needs to develop a resource mobilization strategy and action plan due to the shift in responsibility for resource mobilization from global to regional and countries. More focus to leverage resource has been shifted to country level while the CWPs do not have capacities. GWP’s role needs to be very visible to development partners and show actual investment on the ground.
The GWP Technical Committee, in collaboration with the International Land Coalition (ILC) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), organized a workshop on the “Global Food Security Challenge through Coordinated Land and Water Governance”. The event took place 15-16 June in Pretoria, South Africa.
The Project Management Unit of WACDEP organised the 6th Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting on 12th February, 2015. The meeting was held at the conference room of the Water Resources Commission under the chairmanship of Nii Boi Ayibotele.
Africa Water Week (AWW), the African continents premier biennial event on the water calendar was held in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania from 18-22 July, 2016. The sixth AWW was held under the theme “Achieving the SDGs on Water Security and Sanitation”. The theme was built on the success and deliberations of the 2014 5th Africa Water Week on “Placing Water at the Heart of the post 2015 Development Agenda”.
Name: Maria Amakali
Occupation: Director of Water Resources Management
Country: Namibia
Country of Work: Namibia and SADC
What would you say are the main challenges in your work as a woman?
I started working as hydrologist in the Department of Water Affairs in the early nineties. I had studied in the US and was ready to come and work in a newly independent Namibia. My responsibilities included planning and execution of research and investigations regarding sustainable development of water resources; and providing advice on the effective utilization, protection and conservation of such resources. At a time I found a lot of males, in the department. Except for the two women scientist in Hydrology Division, most women were doing mostly secretarial or office administrative work. I remember one day standing outside, waiting for my ride home and this man came to me asking whose secretary I was. In an independent Namibia, I was quite shocked that the old stereotype mentality that women can only be secretaries still exists. Those days there were not many women or black hydrologists, but I was still offended.
The Global Water Partnership (GWP) staff in Zimbabwe attended World Water Day commemorations organised by Mukuvisi Woodlands Nature Reserve and Environment Centre incorporating the Eco Schools Environment Education Programme. The event was funded by the 3rd European Union Water Facility Programme in Zimbabwe and was held at Darwendale/Manyame Dam on the 25th of March 2015. Apart from GWP, the event attracted 449 children and 74 teachers from 27 schools and 13 other organisations which included the European Union (EU),Environment Africa (EA), Wildlife Conservation, Practical Action, Upper Manyame Sub Catchment Council (UMSCC) and National Parks.