NEWS

The workshop on the mobilization of Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) experts for reshaping hydrological norms was held in Douala, Cameroon from October 20th to 21st, 2015.

This workshop was implemented within the framework of the project known as RESIHYST Africa Project “Hydrological standards reviewing for resilient hydraulic infrastructure to climate change in Africa “. It was organized by UNESCO in collaboration with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

This workshop brought together ECCAS’ experts in database management, GWP-CAf expert officials from ministries of water, transport, public works and focal points of International Hydrological programme (IHP) from Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe as well as representatives of universities and hydrological research center.

From 29^th to 30^th September, 2015 the meeting of the “Taskforce” for the development of central Africa regional hdyro-meteorological strategy was held in Douala, Cameroon. It was organized by the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in collaboration with GWP-CAf.

In addition to ECCAS and GWP-CAf’s experts, the meeting was attended by national experts in meteorology and hydrology from Cameroon, Congo, Chad, DR Congo, Gabon and Sao Tomé é Principe as well as representatives of UNESCO and Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).

The “Taskforce” meeting planned during a working visit conducted by GWP-CAf to Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in July 2015, enabled experts to better understand the regional hydrometeorological strategy elaboration process and approve the regional synthesis report of baseline studies for National Hydrological and Meteorological Services conducted in six (6) pilot countries in Central Africa. The road map for the development of regional hydro meteorological services strategy in Central Africa was also discussed and approved.

From the 7^th to 10^th September, 2015 was held in N’djamena, Chad a training workshop for staff and experts of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) on IWRM for transboundary water resources management.

Organized by the Department of Natural Resources Management of the LCBC in collaboration with GWP Central Africa (GWP CAf), the workshop brought together fifteen participants from the secretariat of the LCBC.

The objective was to strengthen their understanding of the IWRM concept and its principles, and also develop their capacity in using some specific IWRM planning tools with a special focus on development and management of transboundary water resources. It also aimed at ensuring a common understanding of the concepts, principles and planning process of IWRM among key staff of the LCBC secretariat.

Within the context of implementation of WACDEP in central Africa, GWP Cameroon in collaboration with GWP-Caf organized in Douala, Cameroon, from August 26^th - to 28^th  2015 WACDEP project capacity building workshop for national institutions and water organizations on “project preparation related to water security and climate resilience”.

The 3 days’ workshop brought together planners in ministries from Cameroon, Chad and Gabon and water professionals from Country Water Partnerships like Cameroon, Central African Republic and Sao Tome and Principe.

The main objective of the workshop was, on the one hand to introduce stakeholders the different project preparation key steps, integrating water security and climate resilience in conformity with the funders’ requirements, to know better the financial institutions and also to plead for integrating water security and climate resilience into development planning process and on the other hand to develop no/low regret investment and financing strategies

Within the context of the partnership ECCAS-GWP signed in December 2013, a meeting held in Libreville, Gabon from 29^th to 31^st of July 2015 brought together the two parties.

The meeting aimed at assessing the progress made in the process of developing a regional strategy and action plan for hydrological and meteorological services in Central Africa on the one hand and take stock of the process of the creation and operationalization of the Regional Solidarity Fund for Water following the submission of the final document to ECCAS for validation on the other hand.

From 17-18 June, 2015 a regional building capacity workshop  was organized by The Sao Tome and Principe Water Partnership in collaboration with GWP-CAf  on “the contribution of social media in achieving water security in central Africa” for central Africa Journalists specialized in water security and climate resilience reporting.

It brought together at Santana Club & Beach Resort Hotel in Sao Tome Journalists from various media house both private and public, and different countries including Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Chad, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe.

The workshop aimed at initiating media practitioners to the proper use of social media as a means of communication on the one hand, and on the other hand underlining the role of social media as a catalyst in changing human behavior with respect to water security, and climate resilience and are concerned.

The two day workshop which focused on the use of social media was also a unique opportunity for not only introducing media professionals to the GWP-CAf‘s web presence including the regional website and social media on which the organization is active but also inviting media practitioners to interact on these online platforms