About

GWP’s VISION is a water secure world. Our MISSION is to advance governance and management of water resources for sustainable and equitable development.

OUR UNIQUE VALUE: GWP mobilises action on the global water crisis through a unique combination of social capital, shared values, credibility within the global water community, bottom-up orientation, and expertise. A network of networks, we ensure the ‘voices of water’ can inﬂuence local, national, regional, and global development priorities. We are committed to our role as a neutral convener and respected for our focus on inclusiveness and sustainability.

Learn

GWP creates and communicates information about integrated water resources management which contributes to improved water governance and, ultimately, water security.

Together with our Partners, we provide knowledge resources and capacity building activities for solving water problems.

Partner

Institutional Partners are the basis of GWP's multi-stakeholder partnership. A strong, diverse partnership can bring about the changes needed to achieve a water secure world. In this section, learn about the benefits of being a Partner and meet a few who already are. We invite like-minded organisations to join us!

GWP Regions

This is where you can find links to the websites of our Regional Water Partnerships (RWPs). RWPs are closest to the countries where we work. They share knowledge and learning across national boundaries and are expected to have an open, inclusive, and gender-sensitive policies for bringing together as wide a group of stakeholders as possible to solve water problems.

West Africa

10/18/2011

Towards Country Water Partnerships in Gambia and Sierra Leone

At the request of the countries, a mission from GWP West Africa visited Gambia and Sierra Leone 19-28 September 2011, to follow up on the will expressed in 2009, during the development process of the IWRM roadmap, to set up GWP Country Water Partnerships. Exchanges on the importance of transboundary waters and their management mechanisms such as the UN Convention on International Water Courses were also discussed.

The delegation was comprised of Prof. Aboubacar Awaiss, GWP West Africa Technical Committee Member, and Sidi Coulibaly, Communications Officer.

In Gambia, the will to create a Country Water Partnership is high at the political level expressed both by the Private Secretary of the Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources, Mr. Amadou Saine, and the Deputy Private Secretary of the Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure, Mr. Sabel Badian Diagne, as well as the assistant director of the Department of Water Resources, Mr. Bernard E. Gomez, in addition to stakeholders who expressed their readiness to work for the establishment of a CWP. A feasibility study on the establishment of a CWP will now take place as the next step in the process.

In Sierra Leone, the GWP West Africa delegation had a series of meetings with government officials such as Prof. Dr. Ogunade Davidson, Minister of Energy and Water Resources and the Deputy Minister, Hon. Martin Alex Bash-Kamara. The Minister expressed that the time was opportune since there are important reforms going on in the water sector with the support of development partners. A well-attended stakeholders meeting was held on 27 September under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Resources, represented by Mr. Conteh, acting Permanent Secretary. A presentation about GWP was made by Sidi Coulibaly which was followed by a presentation on the UN Convention on International Water courses by Prof. Aboubacar Awaiss, who pointed out the importance of transboundary issues in West Africa where most of the river basin are shared and the need to manage them appropriately. The process of the CWP establishment will continue.

These activities are undertaken in the framework of the ACP-EU Project, Improving Water Management and Governance in African Countries through support in development and implementation of IWRM Plans for the establishment of CWPs. This project is implemented by UNEP/DHI-ECOWAS/WRCC and GWP West Africa. The advocacy on the UN Convention is done under the leadership of ECOWAS/WRCC in collaboration with WWF and Green Cross.

Page last edited: 10/18/2011