CIWA Quarterly Bulletin
Welcome to CIWA’s Quarterly BULLETIN!
We are pleased to share the seventh quarterly edition of the Cooperation in International Waters in Africa Program (CIWA) Bulletin.
In an era characterized by climate change; fragility, conflict, and violence; and other multi-dimensional crises, our work is more important than ever. In this edition, discover the newly released Annual Report 2022 available in English et de French, which chronicles CIWA’s efforts to strengthen resilience, water security, and economic growth and development in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2022.
As we are closing the year, we would like to thank our partners, donors, and colleagues that help advance the work supported by the Programme CIWA!
Happy Reading and Happy Holidays!
Anders Jägerskog and Ai-Ju Huang
CIWA Program Managers
IN THE NILE BASIN, THE NEXT GENERATION OF WATER PROFESSIONALS WORKING TOWARDS A NEW ERA OF COOPERATION
Since 2011, as part of the Initiative du bassin du Nil (IBN) the Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office (ENTRO) in partnership with CIWA has run an internship program for the next generation of talented water professionals with a primary focus on enabling an environment for transboundary water cooperation and a commitment to assembling an innovative, collaborative, and forward-thinking forum of young experts.
What’s making a splash
A VIEW FROM THE FIELD: TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF GROUNDWATER SPECIALISTS IN THE SAHEL
In the Sahel, a global hotspot for climate change and one of the poorest regions in the world, limited knowledge about groundwater resources hampers efforts to develop strategies to cope with water scarcity. Nor are there enough hydrogeologists trained in the sustainable management of this resource: a homegrown master’s degree program could reverse that trend and build up regional expertise.
SEMINAR: TRANSBOUNDARY WATER COOPERATION IN THE AFRICAN CONTEXT, KEY TO ADVANCE DEVELOPMENT
Un séminaire au Centre de droit comparé et transnational (CCTL) – Groupe du droit de l'environnement, de l'énergie et du climat, à l'Université chinoise de Hong Kong, s'est tenu le 10 novembre. Anders Jägerskog, responsable du programme CIWA et point focal pour les eaux transfrontalières de la Banque mondiale, a présenté un exposé sur la coopération transfrontalière dans le contexte africain.
REGIONAL NILE BASIN HYDROMET PROJECT: NBI ADDRESSES WATER QUALITY CHALLENGES IN THE NILE BASIN
In recognition of the transboundary nature of these water quality challenges, the CIWA-funded Nile Cooperation for Climate Resilience (NCCR) project is aimed at supporting riparian countries in addressing water quality challenges through the improvement of national water quality monitoring and information systems using a coordinated approach.
WATER: AN ACCELERATOR FOR GREEN, INCLUSIVE, AND RESILIENT GROWTH
Effectively managing water resources is a key driver of our ability to cope with the effects of climate change and reduce emissions. Saroj Kumar Jha, Global Director, World Bank's Water Global Practice, walks us on how the World Bank, the largest water sector funder in the world, is working with governments, businesses, and civil society towards a water-secure world.
SIWI WORLD WATER WEEK 2022: RECAP AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM CIWA PROGRAM MANAGER
The theme of this 2022 edition of the World Water Week was “Seeing the Unseen: The Value of Water”, with a focus on topics ranging from food security and health to agriculture, technology, biodiversity, and the climate crisis. Anders Jagerskog, Program Manager for the CIWA Program, participated in the World Water Week event and shares with us some of his insights.
A JOINT MASTER’S DEGREE IN GROUNDWATER FOR SAHELIAN UNIVERSITIES
This podcast discusses how the World Bank through CIWA Program is exploring ways to offer a joint master’s degree in groundwater in the Sahel through a conversation with Dr. Seynabou Cisse Faye, working in Dakar’s Cheikh-Anta-Diop University as Associate Professor. She is well recognized for her professional qualifications in Science, her outstanding achievements in this field.
What’s new in transboundary waters cooperation
Putting Africans at the heart of food security and climate resilience
Countries in Eastern and Southern Africa are implementing a range of short, medium, and long term actions with World Bank support, to cushion the blow of the current crisis on the poorest households and set African food systems on a more resilient and productive pathway.
Tackling fragility and promoting integration in the Horn of Africa through ‘development diplomacy’
Forums for regional dialogue and development cooperation, such as the Horn of Africa Initiative, are essential. Launched in 2019 by ministers of finance from across the region, the initiative aims to promote concerted action to face common development challenges which are hampering economic growth and poverty eradication efforts.
Speaking at two events on water security at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, UNECE Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova stressed the importance of cooperation between countries for successful climate change policies and actions, especially when it comes to addressing water security.
IGRAC's new regional transboundary aquifer map of Africa identifies 106 TBAs
A new regional transboundary aquifer map for the African region has been released. It is based on the Transboundary Aquifers of the World Map (TBA Map) that was updated in 2021 and showcases the occurrence and extent of Transboundary Aquifers across the African continent. Globally there are now 468 transboundary aquifers and aquifer systems identified, underlying almost every nation.
CIWA LAUNCHED ITS 10TH ANNUAL REPORT
In the 2022 fiscal year (FY22), the Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA) worked to mitigate Africa’s immense needs. These formidable challenges only strengthen our resolve to help countries collaborate over transboundary waters to share costs and benefits of building resilience, to address drivers of fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV), and to foster green, resilient, and inclusive development (GRID) and recovery from the pandemic.
CIWA works with the government of riparian countries to shore-up their capacities to co-operatively manage water resources and prepare for, adapt to, and recover from shocks. Its projects are at the forefront of local, national, and regional efforts to fuel sustainable, inclusive, climate-resilient growth. The just-released Annual Report 2022 chronicles CIWA’s efforts to strengthen resilience, water security, and economic development in the 2022 fiscal year. It is available in English and in French.
Save the date for these upcoming events
UN 2023 Water Conference || 22-24 March 2023 || New York, USA
Le UN 2023 Water Conference with the theme of ‘Water for Sustainable Development’, will take place in March 2023 to coincide with World Water Day and will focus on the objectives of the Decade as laid out in the Secretary-General’s Plan: Water Action Decade 2018-2028.
International Conference on Climate Risk, Vulnerability and Resilience Building || 19-21 April 2023 || UNESCO Headquarters and Online
Le Conference aims at bridging the gap between science, policy and decision-making to support effective resilience building. This solution-oriented event will follow up on the discussions held at the 2023 United Nations Water Conference, by linking scientists, practitioners and decision-makers to support the development of resilient water management policies.
CIWA’s social media engagement
Today 📢 in an online seminar with @CUHKLaw, Program Manager @AndersJagerskog shares how lessons from @ciwaprogram can inform global perspectives on #transboundary #water management 💧🫱🏿🫲🏼
— Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (@ciwaprogram) November 10, 2022
🗓️ 10 November 2022
🕠 12:30pm (EEST)
Join here 👉🏿 https://t.co/Ot7T51H9hP@WorldBankWater pic.twitter.com/A1bpUMnc9y
Delighted to be part of the @ciwaprogram’s Advisory Council Meeting in Kigali today. #Climate resilience growth through cooperation in transboundary waters is possible thanks to @CIWAProgram’s #investments & #initiatives. @AyatSoliman7 @AndersJagerskog @UAndren @maartengischler https://t.co/t0RWP9l9ZT
— Catherine Tovey (@ToveyCatherine) November 2, 2022
Talented hydrogeologist & professor, Dr Seynabou Cissé Faye advocates for training opportunities for #women ♀️ in #science 🧪 at the forefront of fields such as #groundwater 💧 research.
— World Bank Water (@WorldBankWater) December 4, 2022
Listen to @ciwaprogram's Podcast "Across the Pond: [in French] 👉🏿https://t.co/bhtQOmmrKV pic.twitter.com/Pul8Tzu2ur
Impressive switchyard that will distribute power to Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania by Rusumo Power Company Ltd, owned by the three countries. @SweinEthiopia and @Sida glad to support regional cooperation through @ciwaprogram pic.twitter.com/hNK9VPpfrl
— Ulla Andren (@UAndren) November 4, 2022
ABOUT CIWA
CIWA, a multi-donor partnership, continues to support riparian governments in West, East, Central, and Southern Africa and their path toward more sustainable, data-driven, community-focused, and collaborative management of transboundary waters.
Learn more about our program activities on our English et de French Websites. And do follow us on Twitter @CIWAProgram. To subscribe to the CIWA Podcast, copy and paste the URL from the address bar into the podcast app of your choice: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1734582.rss
A special thank you to our editorial team, partners, reviewers and authors.
Photo Credits: Shutterstock and Unsplash Images, World Bank/ Flickr