12 September 2014: Participants discussed water security and management within the context of climate change at the Sixth Water, Climate and Development Programme for Africa (WACDEP) Technical Coordination Workshop. The Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWP-SAf) hosted the workshop, which aimed to share knowledge and lessons learned from WACDEP implementation.

In opening remarks, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Saviour Kasukuwere, described water security as a joint responsibility that he said could only be achieved through global, continental, regional and national cooperation and partnerships. Laila Oualkacha, the WACDEP focal point person from the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) highlighted the threat of climate change to political stability, quality of life and sustained economic growth, which she said are compounded by low adaptive capacity.

GWP’s Executive Secretary, Ania Grobicki emphasized 2015 as a critical year for achieving agreements on water security through: a dedicated Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on water; a climate agreement at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UNFCCC; and the Third World Congress on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). She highlighted WACDEP partnerships as an opportunity “to build upon our shared results and achievements to be both prepared for and responsive to the outcomes of these three global processes.”

Over 50 participants attended the workshop, which convened from 15-19 September in Harare, Zimbabwe. It included a WACDEP Africa Technical Coordination and Annual Programming Meeting and an Inception Workshop on Project Preparation. [GWP Press Release]