Abstracts can now be submitted to the 22nd WaterNet/WARFSA/GWPSA Symposium to be held 20 -22 October 2021, under the theme "Integrated Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development in East and Southern Africa".

"The Green Deal for a Sustainable Future" was the theme of the 2021 digital edition of the European Development Days (EDD21) on 15-16 June, a European Commission event. GWP was represented at a high-level panel on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and at a discussion on the role of water as a connector in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Both discussions highlighted integration between sectors as key to improving water governance.

African water ministers’ call for the establishment of an International High-Level Panel on Water for Africa has reached the official preparatory process for the Mid-Term Review of the UN Water Action Decade in 2023.

On 23 June, GWP Chair Howard Bamsey took part in a panel discussion on water and climate organised by pharmaceutical company Bayer and the Water and Climate Coalition. Bamsey said the water community needs to better articulate the central role of water in climate: “Water is a part of the climate struggle.”

Joint call to action by Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, and Jakaya Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Chair of the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa and Africa Coordination

The process to develop a Concept Note for South Africa to mobilise US$10 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) kicked-off on 7 June, led by the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and supported by GWPSA, UNCCD, and the Agricultural Research Council (ARC).

Last year the global pandemic exposed how current governance systems are inadequately prepared to address systemic challenges that threaten humanity. Better preparedness can make communities more resilient to large scale threats. On 2 June, GWP launched a report, “Mobilising Change: 10 years of climate resilient water investments”, which is a contribution to implementing transformative development to solve climate change challenges to water security.