Zambia, like most African countries is experiencing accelerated economic growth and population expansions with over 60% of people expected to reside in urban areas. Consequently, experts suggest that by 2030, climate change, pollution, population growth and urbanisation will affect the already scarce water resources such that demand for water on the continent will outstrip supply by 40%.
This justifies the urgent need to employ effective and sustainable water management strategies especially that water is central to economic development.
The 2017 Forum Themes are:
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene;
- Water Resource Management;
- Water Infrastructure Development;
- Water quality and Risks;
- Climate Change and Adaptation; and
- Environmental Protection.
The Forum and Exhibition is open to the public; more particularly, practitioners in water, sanitation and hygiene, energy, livestock, agriculture and forestry practitioners, food security and climate change experts, academicians and researchers, planning and development practitioners, policy makers and civil societies.
The event will be held in Lusaka, Zambia, on 12-13 June. GWP Southern Africa Executive Secretary Alex Simalabwi is one the key note speakers at the event. He will be speaking about "Water, job creation, industrialisation and SDG implementation in Africa".
Full details are available on the event website.
Photo by ZAWAFE.