GWP Botswana Water Partnership
GWP DR Congo Water Partnership
GWP Lesotho Water Partnership
GWP Malawi Water Partnership
GWP Namibia Water Partnership
GWP South Africa Water Partnership
GWP Swaziland Water Partnership
GWP Tanzania Water Partnership
GWP Zambia Water Partnership
GWP Zimbabwe Water Partnership

Water situation today
Southern Africa faces many water sector challenges, a situation that is exacerbated by the fact that most national economies in the region depend on agriculture or other water-related activities such as fisheries and mariculture. Rainfall, which varies dramatically within the region, is the dominant source of water. Average precipitation ranges from 4000 mm to less than 50 mm annually. Only 19% of the region receives more than 1500 mm of rain annually while 24% receives less than 500 mm each year. To address the water demands in this water-scarce region, southern Africa’s water sector is undergoing reforms that are encompassing the principles of integrated water resources management (IWRM). There is significant cooperation through instruments such as the Shared Watercourse Systems Protocol, a Regional Strategic Action Plan for IWRM (including the regional water policy and strategy) and common water vision. Political will and involvement of all stakeholders are key success factors.

Programmes and action
GWP Southern Africa aims to contribute to poverty reduction through collaboration, coordinated development and sustainable management of water resources in the region. The Partnership has actively supported the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in the development of the Regional Framework for Action. This has informed the development of the regional water policy (2003–2004) and strategy processes (2005–current). The Partnership has supported SADC with technical review work and by providing a regional multi-stakeholder platform for regional consultations and input into both the policy and strategy’s refinement.

GWP Southern Africa’s other key aim is to forge regional integration by bringing together integrated water resources management (IWRM) policy-makers, practitioners, researchers and capacity builders.

The Southern Africa Water Information Network, a programme within GWP-SA, is designed to enhance information sharing and knowledge of IWRM among water practitioners. As today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders, a significant effort is being made to involve young water professionals through the Southern Africa Youth Water Action Team.

GWP Southern Africa will, with regional partners, implement the SADC IWRM Awareness project. The Partnership will lead the component of raising awareness amongst policymakers in the region. This project comes at an opportune time as the Partnership has been facilitating the development of national IWRM plans in four countries in the region, namely Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia.

GWP Botswana Water Partnership
GWP Botswana was launched in 2003. Botswana is one of the driest countries in the region, with a perpetual shortage of water. A key premise of the Partnership’s programmes is that they address identified gaps in IWRM in their countries. Botswana therefore focuses on drought planning and IWRM awareness in national interventions. In 2006, the Partnership will be involved in the national government-led IWRM and water efficiency planning initiative supported by UNDP-GEF.

Established: October 2004
Mr. Monty Montshiwa
Kalahari Conservation Society
Plot 112 Independence Ave., Extension 3
Gaborone, Botswana
Tel: +267 3974557
Fax: +267 3914259
E-mail: projectmanager@kcs.org.bw | Back to top

GWP Lesotho Water Partnership
Since its establishment, GWP Lesotho has engaged in programmes actively involving the youth in water initiatives, particularly in raising awareness on water issues and the MDGs. In 2006, the Partnership will be leading an IWRM wetlands rehabilitation project.

Established: August 2004
Mr. Peter Nthathakane
Commissioner of Water
P. Bag A440
Maseru, Lesotho
Tel: +266 22 320127
Fax: +266 22 324529
E-mail: commwater@lesotho.com | Back to top

GWP DR Congo Water Partnership
The Democratic Republic of Congo is included in the fourteen SADC member states. Following the Framework for Action process which highlighted the urgent development and water reform concerns of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country water partnership was established. The Partnership activities in 2005–2006 include ToolBox training (http://www.gwptoolbox.org) and IWRM capacity building and awareness raising.

Established: November 2004
Mr. Eugene Shamba
CNAEA
10e Niveau Immeuble, REGIDESO
65 Bld du 30 Juin
B P 12 599, Kinshasa, DRC
Tel: +243 990 3066
Fax: +243 760 0529 | Back to top

GWP Namibia Water Partnership
In its 2004–2008 work plan, GWP Namibia aims to contribute to efforts to foster equitable access to freshwater resources by all sections of the population, especially the rural and urban poor. In its activities, the Partnership plans to enhance understanding of IWRM principles, to identify gaps in the implementation of these principles and to build capacities that are needed for this. In 2006 the Partnership will be supporting government’s implementation of the National Water Policy with special emphasis on supporting the establishment of river basin committees. Launched with the goal of contributing to the sustainable maintenance of the human and biophysical environment in Malawi, the Partnership is focusing on building the capacity of stakeholders in and disseminating information about IWRM.

Established: February 2003
Ms. Anna Matros-Goreses
Desert Research Foundation (DRFN)
P.O Box 20232, Windhoek, Namibia
Tel: +264 61 377500
Fax: +264 61 230172
E-mail: anna.matros-goreses@drfn.org.na | Back to top

GWP Malawi Water Partnership
The Partnership has pioneered in the area of national consultations that fed into the development of a Framework for Action (FFA) that ultimately will lead to the achievement of the Regional Water Vision. The FFA process has also informed the national IWRM and water efficiency planning process that commenced in 2004. GWP Malawi is facilitating this national process, working closely with national government and stakeholders. The Partnership has been very successful in involving the media, donors, parliamentarians, ministries and stakeholders from other sectors in this process. The national plan will be completed by mid 2006.

Established: December 2002
Prof. Victor Chipofya
The Polytechnic
P. Bag 303, Chichiri,
Blantyre, Malawi
Tel: +265 1 670411
Fax: +265 1 670578
E-mail: vchipofya@poly.ac.mw | Back to top

GWP South Africa Water Partnership
Water and poverty are pressing issues in South Africa. Unlike many countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), South Africa already has a large number of professional networks engaged in IWRM. However, no other network addresses water and poverty. Launched in April 2002, GWP South Africa’s action programmes are being developed to address integrated approaches to water resources management to serve the poor, and to enable water to become a more effective tool in combating poverty. Poor people themselves, their representatives, community based organisations and NGOs are being included in the Partnership. Information exchange through the Partnership platform is helping inform policy makers of proprietary needs and successful approaches for further policy-making and implementation. The Partnership is also providing assistance to the government by formulating statements on water and poverty at international forums.

Established: April 2002
Ms. Ethne Davey
IWMI
141 Creswell St, Silverton 0184,
Pretoria, South Africa
Tel: +27 12 8459100
Fax: +27 12 8459110
E-mail: daveye@dwaf.gov.za | Back to top

GWP Swaziland Water Partnership
Following the multi-stakeholder engagement process that resulted in the Framework for Action (FFA), GWP Swaziland was established. The Partnership has a wide range of partners ranging from members of Parliament to local rural water users. Through the FFA consultations the Swazi people have begun to understand the value of effective and sustainable management and utilization of their water resources and appreciate the benefits of stakeholder involvement in water issues. Swaziland has developed a framework for advancement into a brighter future, guided by the Vision and working through the Partnership. Through GWP’s facilitation, Swaziland has embarked on its national IWRM and water efficiency planning process. National government has recognised the institutional wealth of the Partnership and has appointed the Partnership to facilitate this important national process. The FFA findings will inform the planning process, which is to be integrated into the National Water Master Plan development as required by the new national Water Act. The effective development and implementation of the national IWRM plan will not only assist Swaziland in meeting the new Water Act’s objectives but will also lead to the realisation of the Vision for Water, Life and the Environment in the Kingdom of Swaziland.

Established: February 2004
Ms. Sindy Mthimhukulu
6th Floor, Dhlanubeka Building
C/O SWADE Offices
Cnr of Mdada and Lalufadlana St.
P.O. Box 5836
Mbabane, Swaziland
Tel: (+268) 404 1098/4047950/1
E-mail: sindim@swade.co.sz or nonhlanhla@swade.co.sz
Back to top

GWP Tanzania Water Partnership
GWP Tanzania was established in February 2004 during the national FFA consultations. The Partnership has a wide range of stakeholders ranging from government, academic institutions and non-governmental organisations. During 2006, the Partnership will be working with stakeholders in the Pangani Basin to develop conflict resolution tools in managing water resources in the basin.

Established: February 2004
Prof. James Ngana
Institute for Resource Assessment
University of Dar es Salaam, P.O Box 35097
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel: +255 022 2410144
Fax: +255 022 2410393
Email: jngana@ira.udsm.ac.tz | Back to top

GWP Zambia Water Partnership
GWP Zambia was launched with the mandate to “promote the implementation of integrated and sustainable water resources management in Zambia”. The Partnership has led key water initiatives in the country, such as the national Water Demand Management Study (through the regional IUCN initiative) and the dialogue for water, food and the environment in the Kafue Basin, one of the major basins in the country. The objective of the dialogue was to mobilise stakeholders in the identification of sustainable livelihood options that address food security and poverty issues without degrading the freshwater ecosystems. The dialogue aimed at reviewing the implications of further irrigation development proposed in the government’s poverty reduction strategy. The Partnership is engaged in IWRM information gathering and sharing; the co-ordination of stakeholders in the water sector and others to design educational programmes to promote public awareness in IWRM and in identifying the training and capacity building needs of the water sector. Since 2004, the Partnership has, jointly with national government, been facilitating the national IWRM and water efficiency planning process, building on the major water reforms developed through the Water Resources Action Programme (WRAP). The national IWRM plan will be completed in 2006 and will be linked to the National Development Plan of the country.

Established: March 2000
Dr. Imasiku A. Nyambe
Zambia School of Mines, University of Zambia
P.O Box 32379
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: +260 1 294086
Fax: +260 1 226641
E-mail: inyambe@mines.unza.zm | Back to top

GWP Zimbabwe Water Partnership
The Partnership aims to promote equitable and sustainable utilisation of water resources in Zimbabwe with special focus on water for food. On a practical level this has been done by carrying out various dialogues on water for food. The Zimbabwe Partnership is the region’s lead country water partnership engaged in ‘operationalising IWRM’ at the catchment and sub-catchment level. In 2006, the multi-stakeholder engagement process to develop a catchment outline plan (an IWRM plan) in the Lower Manyame sub-catchment will be developed further. GWP Zimbabwe, in collaboration with national government and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), is also developing an IWRM plan at the catchment level for Gwayi catchment in Zimbabwe. This process will incorporate the lessons learnt in the Lower Manyame in stakeholder participation and include practical ways of improving livelihoods through IWRM at catchment level.

Established: March 2000
Mr. Edward Guzha
Mvuramanzi Trust,
No. 2 Mansfield Road, Marlborough,
Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel: +263 4 300511; 309246
Email: eguzha@zol.co.zw | Back to top