On 25 September 2019, the regional dialogue on the theme "Accelerating progress in IWRM implementation to achieve water-related SDGs in West Africa: challenges, innovative approaches and the roles of partnerships" took place in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. The regional dialogue was organized by Global Water Partnership West Africa (GWP-WA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Sanitation of Burkina Faso, the ECOWAS Water Resources Management Centre and the West African Monetary and Economic Union (UEMOA)’s Commission in charge of Agriculture Water Resources and Environment.
The Country Water Partnership of Benin (CWP-Benin) organized on August 16 and 17, 2018, the start-up workshop of the country project #TonFuturTonClimat in Natitingou, northern part of the country. This project is an initiative of the International Secretariat for Water (ISW) and GWP West Africa to support the involvement of young people in the implementation of innovative solutions for adapting to the adverse consequences of climate change.
Mr. Cheick Aboubacar BAMBARA and Boyla BASSOUROU are both nationals of Burkina Faso who joined GWP WA Secretariat in July 2018. They will support GWP - WA in the development and management of ongoing actions, programmes and projects in West Africa at the regional level and in some countries if relevant.
Benin has taken an important step in its efforts to prevent, protect and manage the consequences of climate change that could affect the population in the short, medium and long term. Benin's National Assembly adopted the country's national legislation on 18 June 2018 to: (i) combat climate change and its negative effects and consequences and increase the resilience of living communities (ii) support effective response, adaptation and mitigation measures by setting specific targets for sustainable economic and social development, security and energy efficiency, in accordance with the specific provisions of national and international legal instruments on climate change.
GWP/WA in collaboration with its partners IUCN, VBA, Eau Vive Internationale and IRC has started coaching young professionals through its regional programme for the employability of young people in jobs related to water security and climate resilience, which is implemented through the Integrated Drought Management Project in West Africa (IDMP-WA), #TonFuturTonClimat initiative, the Nexus & Food and Nutritional Security Programme and the Water Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP).
The NBA GIZ Nexus support project organized in Niamey a regional workshop on the consultation and awareness-raising on the intersectoral aspects (nexus) of the operational plan of the NBA on 19 and 20 June 2018. GWP WA took part in the meeting in view of exchanging meeting participants and the project manager of the GIZ Support Project for the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) who is also the NEXUS (Water-Energy-Food Security) Global Dialogues Representative in the Niger Basin.
The Department of Water Resources is mulling plans to set up a national framework for climate change services. Officials from regional and International partner organizations are currently took part in a consultative meeting on developing a harmonized framework to deliver prominent climate services.
The Capital city of Togo, Lomé hosted the kick-off meeting of the establishment process of the ECOWAS regional water observatory and validation of the provisional report of the operationalization study of the West African Regional Water Resources Policy (WARP) Monitoring and Evaluation Facility from 20 to 22 June 2018.
Benin has established a Network of Professional Women in the Water and Sanitation Sector (RBFPEA) on 11 May 2018 in Cotonou to promote the involvement of professional women in the implementation of actions and projects and highlight their contribution to the development of the sector. CWP-Benin strongly supported the initiative.
On Wednesday, 30 August 2017, an awareness and information workshop for civil society, the media and the general public was held in Cotonou on the ECOWAS Directive on the development of hydraulic infrastructures. The workshop was organized by the Benin Country Water Partnership in collaboration with the Ministry in charge of water and the financial support of the IUCN Global Water Initiative (GWI) Project.