Water is not only essential for Africa's socio-economic development but also plays a crucial role in sustaining natural ecosystems. However, the continent faces significant challenges in ensuring water security, exacerbated by the impacts of climate change. Gender equality and inclusion are recognized as vital for addressing these challenges and building climate resilience.

GWP Africa coordinator Mr. Alex SIMALABWI signed on April 25 2024 the USD$ 6 million grant agreement for the AU-AIP GCF Readiness project to develop AIP national climate resilience water investment plans across 15 African Countries. More African countries are expected to be included.

Seven African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries have laid the foundation to becoming international models for water leadership after implementing a 3-year Global Water Leadership in a Changing Climate (GWL) Programme that helped them identify major challenges in water resources and services management as well as develop strategies to resolve them.

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.

Lilongwe, Malawi, March 14, 2024 – Leaders from seven African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries including high-level delegates from UNICEF, the British High Commission in Malawi and the Global Water Partnership are meeting in Lilongwe, Malawi, to assess efforts made in the seven countries towards building more climate-resilient water services under the multi-partner Global Water Leadership (GWL) Programme.

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.

Alignment and harmonization of individual workstreams as well as counterpart workstreams by all technical partners of the UNDP-GEF Limpopo project is critical to the success of the project. This was the key message that came out of the Integration Workshop for the project “Integrated Transboundary River Basin Management for the Sustainable Development of the Limpopo River Basin,” held on 7-8 February 2024 in a hybrid format coordinated from Pretoria, South Africa. The GEF-funded project is being implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with Global Water Partnership Southern African (GWPSA) as the regional executing agency.

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.