Sri Lanka finds it challenging to achieve the overarching goal of the Paris Agreement mainly due to limited financing. The flexible financial solutions offered by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) plays a pivotal role in such instances, for the developing nations to access international climate financing. Yet, Sri Lanka has only one GCF accredited Direct Access Entity (DAE) which further reduces the opportunity to access adequate funding for climate action. The Global Water Partnership South Asia led 2nd Sri Lanka GCF Readiness Project facilitated workshop on Gender Policy Development and Gender Mainstreaming in GCF Activities held targeting pipeline DAEs resulted additional two nominated DAEs successfully submitting their applications to GCF.
Growing populations and climatic impacts are placing unprecedented pressure on water resources. This is true of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region which comprises 16 Member States, whose population in 2018, was estimated to be at 345.2 million, a rise from 336.9 million as of 2017. Rivers play a pivotal role in the region's socio-economic development, as evidenced by its reliance on these waterways. Southern Africa boasts of 15 major transboundary river basins, shared among neighbouring countries, with 13 basins entirely within the region's borders. However, the equitable distribution of water resources remains a challenge, exacerbated by climatic factors influencing rainfall patterns and the geographical distribution of river basins. While these rivers can spark conflicts, they also serve as conduits for peace and cooperation. Therefore, prioritizing transboundary water cooperation is not merely about economic prosperity but also essential for nurturing stability and harmony throughout the region.
On Thursday, 14 March, four water ministers from Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe will launch the “Integrated Transboundary River Basin Management for the Sustainable Development of the Limpopo River Basin (UNDP-GEF Limpopo project) to which the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa is providing technical support. The Project will be officially launched in Musina, South Africa.
In a bid to bolster climate resilience and address the growing impacts of climate change on water resources, the Government of Eswatini has initiated the development of three water-related concept notes. Collaborating with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, the Department of Water Affairs, and the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Eswatini is set to receive technical support from the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa Partnership.
The governments of Mozambique and Zimbabwe have recorded remarkable progress in building resilience against climate shocks, including floods and drought in the Buzi, Pungwe, and Save River Basins (BUPUSA), shared exclusively by the two countries.
On 11 December, GWP is co-curating the 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 at COP28 in the #Water4Climate Pavilion together with the Green Climate Fund and French Water Partnership.
Jakarta 9 November 2023, located at the All Seasons Hotel, the Decision-Makers round table discussion was organized by GWP-SEA and Water Stewardship Indonesia, with support from the FINISH MONDIAL. The discussion aimed to share information on the successes and the challenges of safe WASH in Indonesia, notably where these efforts connect to micro-credit, shared ideas and solutions to successfully scale up WASH and WASH micro-credit and discussed the potential to build PPP collaboration to achieve safe WASH in Indonesia by 2030.
A two-day Gender Policy Development and Gender Mainstreaming workshop was held in Colombo on 27 and 28 July targeting the pipeline DAEs under the 2nd GCF Readiness Project in Sri Lanka.
A series of training workshops organized by the GWP-Central African Republic and the National Climate Coordination Unit were held in Bangui from September 14–22, 2023. The workshops aimed to reinforce the capacity of government officials, civil society, and private sector representatives on GCF operational procedures. Specifically, GCF investment mechanisms and criteria, project life cycles, accreditation processes, and other GCF requirements (gender, indigenous peoples, environmental, and social safeguards)
