22 April 2013: The Global Water Partnership (GWP) held the First Dialogue on National Development and Water Security in the context of Climate Change Adaptation to consider the linkages among water management, climate change adaptation and sustainable economic growth in Peru.

The Dialogue was intended to engage all stakeholders and sensitize them to water-climate-development linkages. It also aimed to encourage the Peruvian Government authorities to sign an inter-ministerial agreement committing the country to an integrated water resources management (IWRM) policy framework.

At the event, representatives from the national government, including from the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment and Energy and Mining, as well as from civil society organizations, universities, the private sector and international agencies, discussed successful IWRM policies and their role in building resilience to climate change. Among the themes discussed were IWRM, effective water governance, water financing, the water footprint concept, wastewater treatment, natural disaster management, and the impact of biofuel production on water resources.

The Dialogue was held 1 March 2013 in Lima, Peru, with the support of GWP Peru, the National Water Authority (ANA), the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

The UN Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) founded the GWP in 1996 to promote IWRM. [GWP Press Release]