The Gambia is yet to ratify the UN97 Transboundary Watercourses Convention. The former National Assembly members were sensitized and mobilized on the bill. There is the need to sensitize and mobilise the new Assembly Members on the UN97 Convention, the Gambia Water Bill, the National Water Resources Management Authority Bill and the Gambia Metrological Authority Bills respectively.
The Chair and members of the Steering Committee with the Executive Secretary met the Senior Minister in charge of the Environment, Water and Forestry, Oyé Guilavogui, on 06 July 2018, to discuss the concerns of the partnership.
From 7 July 2018 the Programme for the Integrated Management of the Fouta Djallon Highlands is considered as transferred from the African Union to the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS).
A West Africa region team including participants from Water Resources Coordination Center (WRCC)/ ECOWAS, Volta Basin Authority (VBA) and Global Water Partnership-West Africa (GWP-WA) took part in a Technical Task Team Workshop on the setting up of the NEPAD PIDA Water Project - Support to project Preparation and Financing of PIDA Transboundary Water and Hydropower Projects and Africa Investments Programme 2019 – 2024. The workshop organized by NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), in collaboration with AMCOW, GWP and Partners was held on the 12th 2018 in Botswana, Gaborone.
GWP WA and IUCN/PACO have announced the name of the laureates of the fifth edition of the water and environment journalism competition. The topic this year was "Water resources management: examples of good nature - based practices ".
“Enabling Delta Life- increasing cooperation for good governance to enhance climate resilience of communities in delta regions” is the title of the communication made by Dr. Fabien Hountondji, GWP WA Technical Committee member who represented the region at the Adaptation Future Conference 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Benin has taken an important step in its efforts to prevent, protect and manage the consequences of climate change that could affect the population in the short, medium and long term. Benin's National Assembly adopted the country's national legislation on 18 June 2018 to: (i) combat climate change and its negative effects and consequences and increase the resilience of living communities (ii) support effective response, adaptation and mitigation measures by setting specific targets for sustainable economic and social development, security and energy efficiency, in accordance with the specific provisions of national and international legal instruments on climate change.
From 20 to 27 June 2018, a mission of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) composed of consultants Caroline WITTNER and Ramesh TRIPATHI visited Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso.
GWP/WA in collaboration with its partners IUCN, VBA, Eau Vive Internationale and IRC has started coaching young professionals through its regional programme for the employability of young people in jobs related to water security and climate resilience, which is implemented through the Integrated Drought Management Project in West Africa (IDMP-WA), #TonFuturTonClimat initiative, the Nexus & Food and Nutritional Security Programme and the Water Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP).
Dr. Monika Weber-Fahr, GWP’s new Executive Secretary has visited West Africa in the last week of June. She had a stay in Dakar, Senegal to take part in the World Water Forum’s Board of Governors’ meeting, and in the Climate KIC strategy meeting.