News

The 2nd High-Level Regional Policy Workshop focusing on “Adapting to Climate Change Induced Water Stress in Nile River Basin,” resolved to bridge the gap between science and policy, enhance the efforts of generating and sharing knowledge about climate change and conducting hotspot analysis at country level. 

Local ownership and information are keys to success in water resources management. A project in the Cyohoha water catchment, shared between Rwanda and Burundi, shows that IWRM works in a region which suffered from disastrous conflicts only twenty years go.

Team Experts from Rwanda and Burundi discussed water and climate adaptation and resilience issues in the drier Nile Basin, specifically around Lake Cyohaha trans-boundary water of Bugesera region for the two East African countries.

As a co-organizer of the East Africa Young Water Professionals Conference held in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, December, 2012, GWP Eastern Africa contributed to the adoption of Water Declaration directed to government decision-makers in East Africa and beyond.

GWP Eastern Africa used a recent conference to showcase GWP's philosophy, its current drive to mobilise collective efforts towards climate change adaptation and the role youth can play in lessening the effects of climate change in Eastern Africa.

In a series of consultative workshops held between August and December 2012, Rwanda and Burundi water and climate stakeholders pledged to support the successful implementation of the Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP) in the Lake Cyohoha transboundary water catchment.

The acting Chair of the Regional Steering Committee for Global Water Partnership Eastern Africa, Prof Munguti Katua, told 15 delegates from Country Water Partnerships that GWP’s vision—‘a water secure world is achievable, if the present momentum is kept.”

On 25 April, GWP Rwanda took a first step to implement the Water Resources Management (WRM) Strategy of Rwanda by holding a workshop, jointly organized with the Netherlands Development Organization under the theme: "Towards IWRM through collaboration and partnerships between all actors at all levels".

Within the framework of implementing the climate change related commitments of the Sharm el-Sheikh Declaration on Water and Sanitation, GWP and AMCOW are implementing the Water Climate Development programe (WACDEP). The WACDEP aims to support African countries develop No/low regrets Water Security and Climate Resilience Investment Strategies, Plans and projects, and promote the integration of water security and climate resilience into national development plans.

Regional Nile Day celebrations in 2012 will be held on the 19th and 20th of February this year. National celebrations will happen at the same time. The theme will be ‘Water, Energy, Food: Importance of Nile Cooperation’.