Countries Supported on Drought through Global Initiative

The Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) – a joint initiative of GWP and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – is providing targeted drought management support to 8 countries: Ethiopia, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Serbia, Macedonia, and Moldova as part of the UNCCD Drought Initiative.

The country-specific work is part of a wider collaboration between GWP and WMO, as well as the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and others supporting the UNCCD Drought Initiative.

“Our targeted efforts are part of our work with 30+ partners in the IDMP to develop an integrated approach to drought management in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Central and Eastern Europe, supported by and informing how drought is addressed globally,” said GWP Senior Network Specialist Frederik Pischke. “This is underpinned by technical guidance and the sharing of knowledge and practical experiences via the IDMP HelpDesk. We are planning a number of actions and joint support with partners to gear up for the up-coming UNCCD COP, taking place in India in October.”

The IDMP Horn of Africa, led by Project Manager Gerald Kairu of GWP Eastern Africa, supported Ethiopia and Sudan in the development of their National Drought Plans. This was done through contributions in capacity building, case studies, guidance documents, and tailored analysis. GWP’s multi-stakeholder platforms (Country Water Partnerships) were mobilized to contribute to consultative meetings of the partners.

The IDMP West Africa, led by Project Manager Felicite Vodounhessi of GWP West Africa, in collaboration with partners, organised multi-stakeholder consultations in Burkina Faso, Benin, and Niger. These meetings enabled stakeholders to provide technical contributions to the development of national drought plans and share technical expertise and experiences from national, regional and global perspectives. 

The IDMP Central and Eastern Europe, led by Project Manager Sabina Bokal of GWP Central and Eastern Europe jointly with the Drought Management Centre for Southeastern Europe (DMCSEE), is working together with partners to extend technical support to Macedonia, Serbia, and Moldova. It is drawing on the guidelines, programmatic approaches, and demonstration projects developed over the last six years in the region.