The Global Water Partnership (GWP) and The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have jointly developed a Strategic Framework for WASH Climate Resilient Development. The publication is a response to growing demands from governments, development partners and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) practitioners.
Today, in celebration of the International Francophonie Day, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Secretary-General of the Organisation international de la Francophonie (OIF), encourages francophone youth to get engaged and learn about a series of youth consultations on water and climate change that OIF has launched in preparation for the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21).
On March 20, 2015, before the world water day, the GWP China Fujian organized the “Training Workshop on Development of Water-Eco Civilization Progress” in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province with the support of GWP China and the Water Resources Department of Fujian Province.
A media training targeting local journalists who report on environmental, water and climate change issues was undertaken at Rainbow Towers in Harare, Zimbabwe on the 17th of March 2015. The media training forms part of the programme on the SADC Water Weeks which will be held in each of the 15 SADC member states spearheaded by the SADC Water Sector under the auspices of the Infrastructure and Services Directorate. The National Water Weeks, running under the theme “From Vision to Action” are supporting SADC to have a platform in interacting with member states on water resources management strategic issues. The Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWP SA) is playing a role in providing support in undertaking this initiative. GWPSA has partnered with the Inter Press Service (IPS) Africa in conducting the media trainings.
Gaborone, 11th March 2015
The Water Sector of the Southern African Development (SADC) today begins holding of three-day-long SADC National Water Weeks in each Member State to gather input towards the formulation of the fourth phase of the Regional Water Programme.
This year’s World Water Day theme is “Water and Sustainable Development”. Preparatory work for celebrating the day is underway in several countries, with the main UN celebration taking place in New Delhi, India, on 20 March. Building up to the event, GWP’s #watergoal campaign has been stepped up.
GWP Central America organized a workshop for 25 municipal leaders and technical personnel of civil society that work on water issues. The event, which focused on risk management, took place in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on February 23-27.
GWP Lithuania and GWP Poland successfully collaborated on a set of maps, a database and a video, to improve the management and protection of two transboundary rivers. The project brought together international experts from Lithuania, Poland, Belarus and Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia.
The Executive Secretary during his stay in Dakar met with the new chair of the Senegal CWP, Mr. Antoine Diokel THIAW and cangratulated him for his designation as chair. They had discussions on the future actions of the CWP. The Steering and Scientific Committees are yet to be established and an invitation will be sent to partners for a meeting to establish these bodies. Project templates will be developed in order to link with on going initiatives in the country and allow the CWP’s functioning.
GWP West Africa took part in the fourth (4th) meeting of the Sahel Irrigation Initiative Programme (SIIP) which is Worlb Bank funded initiative supported by the Permanent Inter-State committee to fight Drought in the Sahel (CILSS). The meeting took place on 3 to 5 February 2015 in Dakar, Senegal. GWP is a member of the task force and the topics for discussion of this 4th meeting were important for GWP's participation.