“Many activities had been done and showed progress in the past five years, but there are also still remaining a lot of challenges and many IWRM activities need to be done in the coming years. However, the new phase of strategy implementation has to be improved and aligned with national natural resources strategy and other water related sector plans as well as the 8th national socio-economic development plans of the government 2016-2020” said Mr. Thoumma Saluemxay, Deputy Director General of Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
The workshop on 26 May 2015 highlighted that The Lao National Water Resources Strategy and Action Plan 2011-2015 implementation and development is very crucial for water sector collaboration among stakeholders in the country since the last five years of review.
The ministers in charge of water of Benin, Burkina and Niger have signed on 22 December 2015 in Cotonou, Benin the framework agreement of cooperation for the promotion of political dialogue and sustainable development of the Mékrou basin, an affluent of the Niger River shared by the three countries.
The general objective of this Cooperation Framework Agreement is to promote political dialogue and sustainable development of the three states in order to facilitate good governance in the planning and the integrated and sustainable management of the natural resources of the Mekrou Transboundary sub-basin, taking into account socio-economic needs, food security, poverty reduction through the preservation, the conservation of ecosystems and the improvement of the living conditions of local communities.
Ms Christine GBEDJI VYAHO, Benin Minister of Water
The Water, climate and development programme Lao PDR aims to develop stakeholder analysis and roadmap for capacity development on water security and climate resilience. Series of consultation meetings were conducted from June to September 2014 to gather inputs from stakeholders at national, province and river basin level.
In total 404 people from 55 institutions were involved in the meetings including public, private sector, academia and provinces throughout the country. The main finding from the series of consultations is that the knowledge of local communities in river basin about climate change is still limited. However, most stakeholders consider climate change as a challenge to find appropriate solutions for. Based on the findings, the Lao Water Partnership drafted a National Capacity Building Plan on Water Security for Climate Change Adaptation and Management.
During the year, Vietnam Water Partnership reviewed the existing irrigation management status and plan as well as drafted a proposal for new irrigation management plan. Two key government institutions, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) of Vietnam, are fully supporting the implementation of the activities that are under WACDEP program. Vietnam Water Partnership also coordinated closely with National Focal Point of Vietnam to UNFCCC, which will utilize the results of this program into other program of climate change agenda in the country.
The Budget and Finance Committee is an ad hoc committee set up by the Steering Committee to review documents including work plans, budgets and progress and financial reports to give its opinion on the level of implementation GWP West Africa budgets.
GWPSA is using a number of knowledge products (information briefs, animations, checklists, slideshows, glossaries and infographics) in providing an easy understanding of “investing in the management and development of shared water courses”. The knowledge products also set out key messages advocating for more investments in the management and development of shared water courses. This is to ensure improved water security and climate resilience through strengthening cross-sectorial national engagement to integrate water issues into socio-economic development and climate change adaptation processes.
The GWP network celebrated World Water Day 2015 with a string of events throughout the world, from Central America to China. This a summary of some of the highlights, with links to reports.
Τhe 12 OECD Water Governance Principles - developed through a multi-stakeholder approach where GWP-Med was actively engaged - provide a framework for governments to put in place better water policies and are available in 15 languages.
Interview with Mrs Asli Duale, founding Chair of WEAVE – Women Education and Voicing Entrepreneurship – a Somali NGO set up in 2008 in Mogadishu.