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.
A draft Action Framework for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) for the CARICOM Region was developed in 2022 under the GEF funded Integrating Water, Land and Ecosystems Management in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (IWEco) project.
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.
Between 2017 and 2023, global performance on implementing integrated water resources management (IWRM) increased from 49% to 57%. However, the current rate of progress would need to at least double in order to meet the 2030 goal on clean water and sanitation (SDG 6).
