25 September 2018: The Global Water Partnership (GWP) and partners have established the Africa Project Preparation Partnership for Climate-Resilient Water Projects, a platform that brings together implementing agencies, financiers, and businesses to work with African countries on developing proposals for water resource projects to be funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The platform launched its activities with a three-day technical workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa, which attracted 100 participants from water ministries and other government agencies in 24 countries, and prepared 44 water project proposals.

Several regional organizations and development partners cooperated with GWP to organize the workshop, including the GCF Secretariat, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), various funds and entities associated with the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Climate Resilience Infrastructure Development Facility (CRIDF), and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).

The workshop introduced the GCF’s mandate, investment criteria and procedures for delivering climate finance to participants. Boitumelo Mosako, Chief Financial Officer, DBSA, highlighted that the DBSA is developing financial instruments that can promote innovation and investment in technological solutions to water needs. Louise Hellen Brown, AfDB Africa Climate Change Fund, welcomed the workshop initiative as providing practical assistance to better understand how the GCF works.

Workshop participants expressed interest in continuing their cooperation, and GWP noted that the Project Preparation Partnership will continue to facilitate the exchange of information and technical support. [GWP Opening Press Release] [GWP Closing Press Release]