WACDEP Launched in Zimbabwe

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

The Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA) in partnership with the Ministry of Water Resources Development and Management (MWRDM), today launches the Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP) for Africa in Zimbabwe. The launch, which is in the form of an Inception Workshop is being held on 10 and 11th April 2013 at the Holiday Inn, Harare, Zimbabwe

The WACDEP aims to integrate water security and climate resilience in development planning processes, build climate resilience and support countries to adapt to a new climate regime through increased investments in water security. The programme is being implemented for three years, ending in 2015. The initiative is being implemented at country and transboundary level. These include eight countries, four transboundary river basins and one shared aquifer for in-depth work; Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tunisia and Zimbabwe; Limpopo Basin, Kagera Basin, Lake Chad Basin and Volta Basin and the North-Western Sahara Aquifer System. The transboundary basin approach will enable at least 23 African countries to benefit from the results of the initiative.
In addition to the MWRMD who are the members of the African Ministerial Council on Water as well as the lead institution in the development of the National Climate Change Response Strategy some of the other key WACDEP stakeholders attending the workshop include the Office of the President and Cabinet through the Chairman of the National Task Team on Climate Change, The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Secretariat of the National Task Team through the Climate Change Office.

The objectives of the Inception Workshop are to:

  • Officially launch WACDEP in Zimbabwe and kick start implementation of the programme
  • Ensure relevant stakeholders are aware of WACDEP and its intended objectives in Zimbabwe
  • Have an understanding of how different sectors in Zimbabwe are dealing with water security and climate resilience issues
  • Build linkages for water security issues with the National Climate Change Response Strategy

The launch is being officiated by the Honourable S.S. Nkomo, the Minister of Water Resources Development and Management.  Mr. T. Musukutwa, Permanent Secretary for Special Affairs, Office of the President and Cabinet and Ms. F. Nhekairo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resource Management are also special invited guests.

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For additional information, please contact:

Mr. Michael Ramaano, Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA), Regional Programme Officer, tel. +27 (12) 845 9117 (Pretoria),m.ramaano@cgar.org  

Mr.  Zvikomborero Manyangadze, Ministry of Water Resources Development and Management (MWRDM, Harare), zmanyangadze@hotmail.com

Visit the WACDEP Website on: 
www.gwp.org/wacdep

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is a dynamic not-for-profit action network established in 1992 with more than 1,800 Partner organizations around the world. GWP has successfully helped to change the prevailing mindset on water management by promoting and applying Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) principles and approaches. In order to achieve greater stakeholder buy-in and operate more effectively throughout the world, GWP has organized itself into Water Partnerships at regional, national and subnational levels.

In Zimbabwe, the multi-stakeholder platform, known as the Zimbabwe Country Water Partnership is affiliated to GWP’s regional network, the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa. The Zimbabwe CWP is chaired by the Ministry of Water Resources Development and Management.

In response to the climate change commitments in the Sharm el-Sheikh Declaration, the African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) in collaboration with Global Water Partnership (GWP) developed the Water, Climate and Development Programme for Africa (WACDEP). In November 2010, during the 3rd Africa Water Week, the extra-ordinary session of AMCOW) adopted a decision recommending that GWP and partners operationalize WACDEP.