The main objective was to bring together leading people and institutions; review the progress, challenges and draw resolve to fast-track activities on the ground in the remaining two months months: November and December.
Rwanda and Burundi Country Water Partnership and WACDEP Country Teams resolved to fast-track the plantation of trees on shores of Lake Cyohoha, finalization of biogas and water supply meeting of the National WACDEP Steering Committee, stabling strong linkages with the investment teams in the Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning for the two countries. The recommendations from this meeting would inform the National WACDEP Steering Committee for Rwanda and Burundi.
In Rwanda, it was recommended that working with National Fund for Environment Fund (FONREWA) to leverage more resources for projects at Country Water Partnership levels. The Coordinator of Global Water partnership Eastern African Region Mr. Safari Patrick lauded the meeting as “additional catalyst to speed up more actions on ground” particularly on shores of Lake Cyohoha - Rwanda and Burundi. GWP Eastern Regional Coordinator further informed participants about the general buy-in of WACDEP from the Regional Steering Committee (RSC), line ministries and other institutions in Rwanda and beyond.
It was also resolved that communication and knowledge management should be considered as a cross-cutting component of all WACDEP deliverables (work packages). In Rwanda, it was recommended that working with National Fund for Environment Fund (FONREWA) to leverage more resources for projects at Country Water Partnership levels. FONREWA was established to harmonized interventions centered on environment and climate change in Rwanda.
Mr. Kidanemariam Jembere, Programme Manager, GWP Eastern Africa clarified on the programmatic issues and urged participants to be “more result-oriented and harmonize their work.” WACDEP is being implemented jointly by Rwanda and Burundi at transboundary level specifically on Lake Cyohoha shared between Rwanda and Burundi. The review and planning meeting was joined by government WACDEP delegates from Rwanda and Burundi WACDEP officers from Burundi and Rwanda and country water partnership for both countries.