News and Activities

A far-reaching political and technical process towards establishing a joint vision for water security in the Mediterranean towards 2030 and beyond is on-going in the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). It draws on integrated responses, focusing on the feasible and the tangible. Building trust among countries and stakeholders, it aims at linking capacities and financial resources towards addressing needs. GWP-Med contributes to the UfM process servicing as its technical facilitator.

The National Council for Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Integrated Coastal Zone Management, headed by H.E. the President of Montenegro, Mr. Filip Vujanović, convened in Podgorica, on 15 June 2016, to review the draft National Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2030 that will be presented in July at the Political Forum's session of the UN Economic and Social Council. The National Council also discussed issues and actions related to the coastal zone management and the protection and management of water resources in Montenegro.

Five old, hand crafted rainwater storage cisterns located in the villages of Pyrgos, Mesa Gonia and Exo Gonia, were in the focus of a research project recently concluded in Santorini. The project aimed at advancing rainwater harvesting in the island of Santorini, undertaken by the University of Cornell and Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean, with the support of the Municipality and the Water Supply and Sewage Authority of Thera (Santorini).

The First High Level Ministerial Panel on Responding to Climate and Environmental Challenges in South East Europe (SEE) took place on 1^st April 2016, in Podgorica, in the framework of the South East Europe Strategy 2020 and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC).

The Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med) coordinated the Drin Day 2016, joining forces with the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE), in the framework of the Drin Project and the Act4Drin Project respectively.

Upon finalization of the campaign ÔVI (eau=vie / water=life) that has been running throughout February and March in primary schools around Tunisia to raise awareness on water scarcity and the importance of water saving, the Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med) celebrated the World Water Day by organizing a workshop on “Water, Youth and Employment” on Saturday, 19 March 2016, in Hammamet.

Global Water Partnership has interviewed women in the water community across the Network on their journey to become successful in their professions, how to overcome obstacles they face as women, and also recommendations to other women.

The 2nd Regional Alumni Workshop of the ‘Water Integrity Capacity Building Programme for the MENA Region’ was organised by GWP-Med (8-11 February 2016, Dead Sea, Jordan). Regional alumni workshops aim to lead to the creation of a regional community of practice on water integrity and foster water integrity ambassadors, reinforcing the enabling environment and building synergies in the target countries and the MENA Region at large. The first Regional Alumni Workshop (November 2015, Tunis, Tunisia) targeted alumni from the national civil society workshops, whereas this second one targeted operational/mid-level management staff.  

More than 80 Members of Parliaments (MPs), journalists, country administrators, intergovernmental organisations, NGOs, and private partners from 16 countries contributed to a regional workshop dedicated to climate change adaptation in coastal areas of the Mediterranean (5-6 November 2015, Athens).