For the past 10 months, Malawi has been battling a cholera outbreak which health authorities have classified as the worst in decades. The outbreak has so far claimed over a thousand lives and recorded over 25,000 cases as of January 2023, with the case fatality rate standing at 3.3% as opposed to the less than 1% recommended by the World Health Organization.
On 12-13 December 2022, a regional workshop was held on the theme: "Increasing investments for water security and climate resilience in West Africa: achievements, challenges and opportunities". The regional event was both face-to-face and online for stakeholders from the regional level and other West African countries.
The Government of Eswatini says the private sector needs to get involved in climate action to protect their own as well as the nation’s investments from the impacts of climate change. Government data shows that 80 percent of surveyed private sector enterprises reported that their businesses had been impacted by climate-related events, most of which had involved extreme and erratic rainfall and drought.
Southern Africa is endowed with a complex network of river systems, which are formed extensively from shared watercourses. 15 of the river basins within the region are shared between one or more countries, 13 of which are shared fully within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Cooperation is needed to promote sustainable management, development, and use of these shared water resources. This was one of the recommendations given during the special session on river basin organisations convened by SADC, OKACOM, and GWPSA on 20 October 2022 at the 23rd WaterNet/ WARFSA/ GWPSA Symposium.
The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Egypt wrapped up on Sunday 20th November with a historic agreement for a fund to help vulnerable countries cope with climate impacts.
The Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) Young Caribbean Water Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition, provides a unique opportunity for young persons from the Caribbean, aged 18 to 34 years, to pitch innovative and impactful water-related projects or ideas to support better water resources management in their community, country or the Caribbean region.
Southern Africa Development Community Member States have embraced the integrated planning and implementation of projects in the water, energy and food (WEF) sectors, with 14 holding national dialogues where they identified priority investment projects that could be taken further for bankability and mobilising financing for Implementation.
GWP Bhutan or Bhutan Water Partnership was established with the support of multiple of senior officials from the Royal Government of Bhutan. Dr Lam Dorji being the youngest Chair of GWP South Asia served from 2016-2018 at the Regional Water Partnership.
Subsistence farmers, the urban poor, and fishers are the most vulnerable groups affected by climate risks in Malawi, and urgent adaptation measures are required, according to a report on Integration of Water Security into Nationally Determined Contributions in Malawi.
The 23rd WaterNet/WARFSA/GWPSA Symposium will be held at Sun City Conference Centre, in the North West province, South Africa and online on 19 – 21 October 2022, under the theme, “Integrated Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development in East and Southern Africa”.
