Section 7
International water organizations and initiatives

7.1. Asia Water Council

The Asia Water Council (AWC) is a global network focused in providing tangible solutions on Asian water challenges and facilitating multilateral discussions among stakeholders. It was established at the initiative of South Korea during the 7th World Water Forum in March 2015. AWC is composed of 147 organizations from 27 countries. The AWC action tools include the application of high-tech tools in all areas of water management and nature conservation through IWRM, the reduction of risks through better water security, especially as concerns prevention of floods and droughts. AWC is the main organizer and sponsor of the Asia International Water Week (AIWW).

Activities in 2022

Asia International Water Week. The 2nd Asia International Water Week/2-AIWW under the theme “Sufficient and Sustainable Water for All” was held in Indonesia on March 14-16, 2022. The AIWW program included the Water Project Business Forum, Ministerial Conference, an exhibition and thematic sessions (four sessions on 6 themes each): (1) Security and sustainable growth; (2) IWRM planning/pilot projects to introduce smart technologies and build capacity; (3) Water management policy and technology in the context of climate change; (4) Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus; (5) Water Security: responses to local, regional and global challenges; (6) Asian Dynamic Water Center – power of knowledge and information. A new Asia to World Statement was launched on behalf of AWC.

Events. The following events took place in the course of 2022: (1) 15th AWC Board of Council meeting, which approved appointment of Dr. Young-deok Cho as new Secretary General and made a decision to hold the 3rd AIWW in 2023 in China (March 13, Indonesia, hybrid); (2) Climate Change High-level Round-table ‘Innovative Climate Solutions in Water Sector’ (March 22, Senegal); (3) Special Session on Global Water Welfare Report, where AWC introduced the Global Water Welfare Report being developed by itself and formed a consensus in the international community on the implementation of water-related projects(Singapore, April 17-21); (4) COP27 Side Event “Strengthening Climate Resilience through Expansion of Investment in the Water Sector and Activation of Water Projects” at the Korean Pavilion (Egypt, November 8); (5) 16th AWC Board of Council meeting, which appointed new representatives of AWC to enhance cooperation between AWC and other organizations implementing mid- and long-term water development plans in Asia and globally, determined venue and time for the 4th AWC General Assembly - 23-28 September 2024 in China (November 22, Korea, hybrid).

Source: Asian Water Council

7.2. Geneva Water Hub

The Geneva Water Hub is a Centre of the University of Geneva, co-financed by joint project of the Swiss Confederation (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, SDC, Global Program Water Division) and the University of Geneva. The Geneva Water Hub was established in 2014 to help prevent water conflicts at an early stage and to promote water as an instrument of peace and cooperation. The Platform for International Water Law (PIWL) was established by some members of the Department of Public International Law and International Organization of the Faculty of Law of the University of Geneva in 2009. Later, it became a part of the Geneva Water Hub. The Geneva Water Hub serves as the Secretariat of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace.

Activities in 2022

In June 2022 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the Geneva Water Hub participated to the Dushanbe Second International High-Level Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”, where the Director General of the GWH moderated a thematic panel on “Transboundary water cooperation for economic growth and sustainability”. It also participated to a side event on "digital tools and e-learning in transboundary water management” organized by the OSCE. At this occasion, the GWH launched the OSCE E-learning Course on "Water Diplomacy and Integration of Water Norms in Peacebuilding", an open and free course exploring the intersection between water and peace and aiming to provide theoretical and practical tools for integrated sustainable water governance in dialogue and processes linked to conflict prevention and peacebuilding. The course is available on the OSCE e-learning platform. The Course is particularly useful for water practitioners, professional negotiators, and university students interested in water management and its interlinkages with peacebuilding processes.

On the margin of the Dushanbe Conference, the Geneva Water Hub participated physically in the Syr Darya River Basin Youth Dialogue, co-organized by the Central Asian Youth for Water (CAY4Water), the International Secretariat for Water (ISW) and the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency (SDC). This workshop reunited young water professionals from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, with the objective of better understanding the importance of dialogue and interactions at basin level. At this occasion, the Geneva Water Hub provided a training on water diplomacy and on the legal aspects of transboundary water cooperation. With this activity, the GWH supported the organization of self-managed spaces of dialogue for the youth and contributing to the reinforcement of their capacities and skills.

In 2020, at the request of SDC, the Geneva Water Hub was involved in the development and implementation of a Course on Water Diplomacy at the Kazakh-German University (DKU). As part of the Blue Peace Central Asia initiative, SDC supported the development of 3 elective courses at DKU, which took place in November 2020 and November 2021. The Training of Trainers (ToT) Course on Water Diplomacy took place online on 23-27 May 2022, online (via Zoom), with the facilitation of the Regional Environmental Centre of Central Asia (CAREC), which mapped and identified the universities and participants for the ToT.

Source: Geneva Water Hub

7.3. Global Water Partnership

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is a global network of action including over 3,000 partners in 179 countries. GWP is comprised of 13 Regional Water Partnerships (RWPs) and 69 National Water Partnerships (NWPs), with the mission to advance governance and management of water resources for sustainable and equitable development.

Activities in 2022

The completion of 2022 marks the mid-point of the GWP 2020-2025 Strategy. The first half of the strategy period has been dominated by the COVID-19 global pandemic. The network has nevertheless maintained a high level of delivery and the implementation of the Strategy remains on track.

Climate resilience through water. In 2022 GWP supported the mobilisation of USD 1.5 million under the GCF Project Preparation Facility for the preparation of the USD 117 million project Climate Resilient Systems for SADC Water Sector: SADC Hydrological Cycle Observation System.

IWRM solutions for the SDGs. GWP supported the development of government-led investment programmes in Zanzibar and Zambia. The government of Zanzibar has expressed its commitment to include USD 100 million in its 2023 national budget and the Zambian government has pledged USD 1 billion. GWP piloted the measurement of IWRM at municipal level both in Honduras and Nicaragua, in coordination with mandated authorities from municipal to national level.

Water-Energy-Food-Environment Nexus. GWP supported the organization of the 10th SADC Multistakeholder Dialogue bolstering regional productive capacities for water, energy, food security and ecosystem resilience to achieve inclusive and sustainable industrial transformation. National dialogues were also facilitated in 14 SADC Member States that allowed identifying potential in-country Nexus investment projects and developing a follow-up action plan.

Transboundary cooperation. The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River endorsed the Danube River Basin Management Plan as well as the Danube Flood Risk Management Plan. GWP provided technical inputs for the preparation of both plans.

GWP supported the adhesion of Cameroon to the 1992 UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.

Several advancements took place in the Buzi, Pungwe and Save Basins Tri-basin, on the border between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, including the approval by the Joint Water Commission of the draft Save Water Agreement and Establishment and Hosting Agreement previously supported by GWP. Further, GWP facilitated stakeholder consultations for the development of a Flood Forecast and Early Warning System.

4 regional organizations and more than 9 transboundary water management institutions have been supported in 2022. Examples include the Amazonian Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).

IWRM Toolbox. The redeveloped GWP Toolbox IWRM Action Hub was launched in 2022 at the World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal. The ToolBox is a global knowledge platform which supports actors to implement IWRM, share knowledge and expertise about their implementation experiences, and bring relevant stakeholders together to improve the way water is managed around the world.

Learning Labs were organised in Zanzibar, Uzbekistan, Nicaragua, Armenia, Sao Tome, Indonesia and Senegal, which content was adapted to the needs of participants to strengthen their contribution to better water management.

Central Asia and the Caucasus. Tangible achievements from the region in 2022 were the finalized Roadmap for the restoration and conservation of the aquatic ecosystem of Lake Balkash and the new network Youth for Water & Peace was established, gathering youth from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Besides, a learning lab ‘Towards an Integrated Drought Management Strategy for Armenia’ (30 September – 1 October) was organized with key national stakeholders. The aim was to support Armenia in the next steps towards integrated drought management, as well as integrating IWRM into the River Basin Management Plans. An overview report on the current state of drought management and draft concept for revision of the national action program to combat drought and land degradation were prepared, in support of the current processes led by the Ministry of Water Resources and the State Forestry Committee in Uzbekistan.

Capacity building. In partnership with Cap-Net and the Gender and Water Alliance, GWP launched the Gender and Integrated Water Resources Management course. The second edition trained 211 participants, with a completion rate of 39% (the global average rate being below 15%). A Community of Practice was initiated on the GWP Toolbox to allow continuous and long-term exchanges amongst participants.

GWP organized the Global Integrated Flood and Drought Management Competition for youth-led projects in partnership with WMO. Twenty young professionals were also trained through the 8-month “Youth for Water and Climate Program”, which offered in-person workshops, mentorship opportunities, support in finding an internship, a community of practice.

At global level, knowledge and learning efforts continued in 2022 with new sessions of the ‘transboundary freshwater security governance train’, launched in 2021 in collaboration with the Wuhan International Water Law Academy (IWLA). This initiative is part of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on transboundary freshwater security developed by GWP, in collaboration with GEF IW:LEARN.

Source: GWP

7.4. International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage

The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) was established in 1950 as a scientific and technical organization with a view to develop scientific technologies in engineering, agriculture, irrigation and drainage, economy, ecology, and social sciences to increase food production, protect environment, improve water quality, improve land productivity, and manage floods and disasters. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are the members of ICID.

Activities in 2022

ICID continued holding its activities physically and online.

24th ICID International Congress and 73rd International Executive Council Meeting took place in Adelaide, Australia from 3 to 10 October 2022. The Congress centered around the theme “Innovation and research in agriculture water management to achieve sustainable development goals”, which was dealt with under two relevant questions - Question 62: What Role Can Information and Communication Technology Play in Travelling the Last Mile? and Question 63: What Role is Played by Multi-Disciplinary Dialogue to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals? The Congress included several thematic sessions and workshops of ICID working groups, as well as the special session “Developing the future tools for managing uncertainty in irrigation water supply” and the Symposium “Integrated Approaches to Irrigation Management in Future”. The plenary session was attended by about 400 delegates from 44 countries.

The 73rd IEC meeting was organized in three sessions. The Opening Plenary presented ICID annual awards and recognitions. Nineteen heritage structures from 7 countries have been recognized in the year 2022 as the World Heritage Irrigation Structures (WHIS). The Best Paper Award was presented to Chinese researchers for their paper entitled ‘Bacillus amyloliquefaciens application to prevent biofilms in reclaimed water micro-irrigation systems’ published in Volume 70 Issue 1 (2021) of Irrigation and Drainage - the Journal of ICID. The 5th Best Performing Workbody Award (BPWA) was presented to the African Regional Working Group (AFRWG).

The main session of IEC was conducted in two sessions. President Prof. Dr. Ragab Ragab emphasized the opportunity to spotlight where ICID – and various stakeholders of the irrigation and drainage sector as a whole – needs to come together to promote sustainable management of water for agriculture worldwide, as Agenda 2030 provides an opportunity to ICID to revisit its vision and mission to align with UN SDGs. Mr. Carl Walters from the Australian National Committee (IACID) presented the important aspects regarding agriculture water management in the country, resulting in increased agriculture activity in Australia and underlined both positive and adverse impacts of such development. Dr. Bahrom Gaforzoda from the Tajikistan National Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (TajNCID) brought attention to the initiatives by Tajikistan at the UNGA which resulted in the declaration of International Freshwater Year (2003), International Decade for Action “Water for Life” (2005-2015), International Year of Water Cooperation (2013) and International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028”. Ms. Karlene Maywald, South Australian Water Ambassador and Chair of the Australian Nation Water Commission delivered the 11th N.D. Gulhati Memorial lecture on the theme “Putting People at the Heart of What We Do”.

Finally, the participants made the following recommendations: use lessons from technical, social, and institutional innovations tested in the field by water managers across different sectors and irrigators, government, researchers, and donors to build climate resilience through water management. They acknowledged that water conservation & management, innovative agriculture practices, renewable energy, food systems and nutrition are interlinked and that the rising trend of losses caused by natural and human-induced disasters must be addressed, with particular attention paid to people in vulnerable situations, including least developed countries.

IEC-ICID endorsed the decision that an expert group on the Aral Sea may be established under Task Team on Transboundary Water (October 10). The key objectives of the expert group is to use the ICID platform (competencies, knowledge, experience and potential) to support efforts of the Aral Sea basin countries to search for solutions for better use of water and irrigated land and stabilization of aquatic ecosystems (from glaciers to the Aral Sea) and further sustainable development in the region.

During the 73rd IEC the Working Group on irrigation and drainage in the states under socio-economic transformation (WG-IDSST) held its 4th meeting (October 8). WG-IDSST was established in 2018 with the aim to facilitate a single platform of National Committees of ICID that belong to States characterized by transition economy, in overcoming certain mutual problems in Irrigation and Drainage. Earlier, the WG had an online meeting (May 26), with the two presentations made: "The Role of Agricultural Drainage and the Challenges it faces in Africa" by Dr. Mohamed Wahba, VHP, Egypt, and “Integrated Water Resources Management in Central Asia: Challenges, Experiences, and Achievements” by Dr. Shukhrat Mukhamedjanov, Vice Chair of the Group, Uzbekistan.

In the course of the year, ICID organized 13 webinars, in particular on: (1) INSPIRE: Mapping & Monitoring Irrigation Performance, WB Group (January 27); (2) Updates and Advances to the FAO56 Crop Water Requirements Methods (February 15); (3) Integrated Water Resources Management in Large River Basins Based on Simulation Modeling and Optimization Methods (February 16); (4) Sustainable Irrigation Development: a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus Perspective Towards Achieving More Crop per Drop per Hectare under Climate Change (March 15); (5) Precise Land Reclamation as a Tool of Precision Agriculture (March 16); (6) Combining Farmer and Science-Based Knowledge Through the Virtual Irrigation Academy (June 2 and 29); (7) Impacts of Climate Change on Surface and Groundwater Resources (June 23); (8) 73rd ICID Foundation Day Seminar on the Role of Modern Irrigation in Global Food Security (June 24) (9) Innovative Coastal Protection on Mangrove Coast (July 14); (10) Capacity Building in Agricultural Water Management is in ‘Intensive Care Unit’ – Can It Be Rejuvenated? (July 20); (11) Advanced Micro irrigation Technology with Precision Water and Salt Management (August 25); (12) Low Land Development in Indonesia (December 22).

Publications. Irrigation and Drainage Journal (Volume 71); Water-Saving in Agriculture - A Roadmap to ICID Vision 2030.

Source: ICID; Mrs. Irena G. Bondarik, ICID Honorable Vice-President

7.5. International Network of Basin Organizations

The International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) was established in 1994 in Aix-les-Bains (France) to promote integrated water resources management at the level of national and transboundary basins of rivers, lakes and groundwater aquifers to link economic growth, social equity, water and environmental protection, and civil society participation. Basin organizations, governmental administrations in charge of water, and bi and multilateral cooperation organizations are the members of INBO from 90 countries. INBO member organizations belonging to the same geographic region created 7 regional networks of INBO.

Activities in 2022

Events. Main international events: (1) statutory session of General Assembly, which decided to extend the Presidency of the Kingdom of Morocco until the General Assembly of 2024 and approve the French presidency as from 2024 (Dakar, March 22); (2) 9th World Water Forum, where INBO jointly organized around 30 sessions promoting the interest for the management of water resources at basin level and supported the “Basin segment”; (3) 20th International Conference Europe-INBO for the Implementation of the European Water Directives (Annecy, France, September 26-29); (4) COP27 Climate Change Conference, where INBO co-organized seven events on water and adaptation to climate change, including the official high level event of the Marrakesh Partnership for Global Climate Action: Water Action Event (Sharm El-Sheikh, November 6-18).

In particular, at the 9th WWF, INBO called for an acceleration of the actions implemented in three priority areas for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): (1) Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), with the launch (with OMVS, OMVG, UNECE & Swiss Confederation) of the Dakar Action Plan for river, lake and aquifer basins (91 signatory organizations from 50 countries) at the high-level segment dedicated to basins. This initiative reaffirms that accelerating the achievement of the SDGs depends greatly on the action of basin organizations and the support they receive. Good management of river basins guarantees the water, food and energy security of our societies. It is a call to action to strengthen cooperation, planning, legal and institutional frameworks of basin organisations and their financing; (2) Biodiversity preservation, with the promotion of the Water and Nature Declaration, alongside the World Water Council and the Nature Conservancy (more than 100 signatories from 27 countries); and, (3) Adaptation to climate change, with the "Dakar 2022" labeling of the "100 Water and Climate Projects for Africa" project incubation initiative.

INBO also actively participated in its partners’ activities, including: High Level International Conference on the International Decade of Action "Water for Sustainable Development" 2018-2028 (Dushanbe, June 6-9); Joint meeting of the Working Groups on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and on Monitoring and Assessment, marking the 30th anniversary of the Water Convention (Talinn, June 28-30); IWA World Congress under the theme "Water for smart and liveable cities" (Copenhagen, September 13-14); OECD Water Governance Initiative (the Hague, September 19-20); Groundwater Summit 2022, where INBO contributed to the Data and Information Session (Paris, December 7-8), etc.

Publications. INBO Activity report 2019-2022 (March); new issue of the INBO Newsletter covering the themes of governance, financing, knowledge, and planning (No. 29, January 2022); and, the IWA-INBO Handbook on Basin-connected Cities, which is designed to inform, influence and encourage urban stakeholders to take an active role in protecting and investing in water, together with basin and catchment organizations (March).

Source: INBO, INBO Newsletter No. 30

The Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia Network of Water Management Organizations (EECCA NWO)

EECCA NWO is one of the eighth regional networks of INBO. It was established in 2010 to exchange views, experiences, and information on various aspects of water management activity. The Network is administered by SIC ICWC, with the support of the Government of Russian Federation and the UNECE, and Network's activities are coordinated with those of INBO.

In 2022, two roundtables were held under umbrella of EECCA NWO: (1) “Science and innovation technologies for water security” (April 26, online); (2) “Following the path of Professor V.A. Dukhovniy” (August 16, online). The both roundtables were devoted to the memory of Prof. Viktor Dukhovniy.

Among big events organized by members of the Network were the following: International Conference “Dnestr transboundary basin management and European integration – step by step” (Chisinau, Moldova, October 27-28); XI All-Russian Science-to-Practice Conference “Siberian and Far Eastern rivers: Preservation of riverine ecosystems in the era of global transformations” (Khabarovsk, RF, November 17-18).

The information on the activities of the Network and its members is disseminated via its website, as well as the social media (Facebook and LinkedIn).

The Central Asia Expert Platform on Water Security, Sustainable Development, and Future Studies developed in early 2021, continued to be maintained in 2022 and many assessments and research efforts were conducted as part of the Platform.

Source: EECCA NWO Secretariat

7.6. International Water Management Institute

International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is a research-for-development (R4D) organization, with headquarters in Colombo, Sri-Lanka, offices in 13 countries and a global network of scientists operating in more than 30 countries. IWMI is a Research Center of CGIAR, the global research partnership for a food-secure future. IWMI’s Vision reflected in its Strategy 2019-2023 is “a water-secure world”. IWMI leads the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems.

Activities in 2022

IWMI continued to engage in the transition to One CGIAR. The formulation of One CGIAR’S portfolio of new research initiatives has strengthened collaboration and coordination among CGIAR centers. IWMI is closely involved in 32 initiative design teams across five impact areas that will support CGIAR to transform food, land and water systems.

New big projects. Built Water Storage in South Asia (2022-2025, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan/US Department of State); Securing the food systems of Asian Mega-Deltas for climate and livelihood resilience, AMD (2022-2024, Bangladesh, Cambodia, VietNam/CGIAR); Resilient Aquatic Food Systems for Healthy People and Planet (2022-2024, Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Kenya, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malawi, Nigeria, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Zambia/CGIAR).

Research projects involving Central Asian countries: H2020: Hydropower For You (2021 – 2026, Central Asia/EU), From Fragility to Resilience in Central and West Asia and North Africa (2022-2025, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan/CGIAR Trust Fund), NEXUS Gains: Realizing Multiple Benefits Across Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystems (Forests, Biodiversity) (2022-2024, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, South Africa/CGIAR), Improving and Strengthening Water Security and Watershed Management in Central Asia - Water Governance Specialists Component (2022-2023, Central Asia/United States Forest Services).

A number of projects were completed in 2022: Assessment of Transboundary Water and Land Resources in the Amu Darya Basin (2019-2022, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan/ EU-ISTC), Increasing water use efficiency in the Aral Sea region (2021-2022, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan/GIZ), Implementation and conducting of Trainings on water efficiency technologies by cotton production in Uzbekistan (2021-2022, Uzbekistan/ BMZ).

Work with partners. To strengthen the response to pressing challenges, IWMI launched a year-long Transformative Futures for Water Security (TFWS) initiative - A Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Science-Based Action for Water Security – Beyond Business as Usual. The TFWS initiative is building partnerships and coalitions among the policy, business, development, practitioner, and science communities, balancing voices from the Global South and Global North in order to focus and strengthen the science base for action on water security. The centerpiece of the TFWS initiative was a series of regional multi-stakeholder dialogues that culminated in the final conference in January 2023.

Awards. Two researchers Sidra Khalid and Najeeb Ullah won the special prize at the 2022 Transformative Research Challenge (TRC), hosted by the World Food Forum, for their research pitch on ‘Transforming nutritional practices and livelihoods through improved fish farming in Pakistan’ under the TRC category, Better Life.

IWMI’s Dr Lisa-Maria Rebelo at the International Water Management Institute in Sri Lanka is the recipient of the 2022 Derek Tribe Award. She received the award in recognition of her work across the African continent, and in South and Southeast Asia, in water productivity, remote sensing, natural resource management, wetland monitoring and assessment, basin water accounting and water productivity.

Publications. IWMI Research Reports 181-183, Water reuse in the Middle East and North Africa: a sourcebook, Water - energy - food nexus narratives and resource securities: a global south perspective, Groundwater for Sustainable Livelihoods and Equitable Growth, Change in global freshwater storage.

Source: IWMI

7.7. Stockholm International Water Institute and World Water Week

The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) is a Swedish not-for-profit Foundation. The SIWI’s vision is a Water Wise World – a world that recognizes the value of water and ensures that it is inclusively shared and used sustainably, equitably, and efficiently for all. At SIWI, they believe that the best way to tackle water crises and help bring about lasting change – is to strengthen water governance among public and private actors alike. SIWI focuses on priority areas including transboundary water cooperation, international policy, WASH, and water governance and streamlines three cross cutting issues – gender equality, youth empowerment, and human rights-based approaches – throughout all programming. SIWI hosts the world’s premier annual water meeting and water dialogue platform, the World Water Week and awards the prestigious Stockholm Water Prize and the Stockholm Junior Water Prize. As a trusted convener, SIWI is the host and driver of important initiatives such as the UNESCO Category II’s International Centre for Water Cooperation and the Shared Waters Partnership (SWP), hosted by SIWI’s Transboundary Water Cooperation Department.

World Water Week

World Water Week 2022, held onsite and virtually from 23 August – 1 September, was a truly global event that brought the international community together to work towards a more water-wise world. Many of the world’s greatest challenges are inextricably linked to water, its use and management. Water-related solutions are thus key to delivering the sustainable development goals by 2030.

World Water Week is the leading annual conference on water, a meeting place for our ever growing and inclusive community of changemakers, working together to accelerate the change needed to develop water-related solutions that can simultaneously tackle the water, climate, food, biodiversity and energy crises.

Thanks to the generosity of the 490 session organizers, almost all the 248 sessions and other content were made available online for free. A record 5404 participants from 160 countries participated, demonstrating not only the great concern for the world’s water, but also a determination to change things for the better. Read the detailed report on outcomes and important actions here.

Activities in Central Asia and Afghanistan in 2022

Programs. SIWI’s Shared Water Partnership program engaged in several key activities in Central Asia and Afghanistan supporting targeted capacity development and experience exchanges, and networking opportunities to elevate regional water cooperation.

SIWI, in partnership with the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and the CAREC, continued the “Women in Water Management Central Asia and Afghanistan” network launched in September 2021 as a part of the OSCE project Women, Water Management and Conflict Prevention - Phase II. Through the Network, women water experts from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan engage in joint capacity development, experience and knowledge exchange, and skills building activities. Through their work, participants of the Network highlight the value of inclusivity and the need for women water experts to achieve sustainable regional water cooperation.

Events. The following events were held: (1) Closed webinars on Water Security and project management (February), Central Asia and the Global Climate Change Agenda (March), “Water Diplomacy, regional and transboundary cooperation and Negotiation skills” for the Women in Water Management Central Asia and Afghanistan Network (April); (2) The Women in Water Management Network in Central Asia and Afghanistan Workshop on the sidelines of the Dushanbe Water Process. This was the first in-person meeting of the Women in Water Management Network in Central Asia and Afghanistan (June); (3) The Women Water Management Network in Central Asia and Afghanistan participated in the “Women in Water Diplomacy Network Forum” at the 2022 World Water Week (August).

Source: SIWI

7.8. World Water Council

The World Water Council (WWC) is an international multi-stakeholder platform. It was established in 1996 on the initiative of renowned water specialists and international organizations, in response to an increasing concern about world water issues from the global community. The World Water Council catalyzes collective action during and in between each World Water Forum – the world's largest event on water. Organized every three years with a host country, the Forum provides a unique platform where the water community and key decision makers can collaborate and make long-term progress on global water challenges.

9th World Water Forum “Water Security for Peace and Development”

The 9th WWF, held in Dakar, Senegal, 21-27 March 2022, was the first of its kind hosted in sub-Saharan Africa. It gathered representatives from 94 countries and 8000 participants who travelled to Africa. This event focused on four priorities, namely: 1-Water security and sanitation, 2-Water for rural development, 3-Cooperation and 4-Means and Tools, including the crucial issues of financing, governance, knowledge management and innovation; four axes that constitute priorities for Africa and also for the world as a whole.

216 sessions and high-level panels were held during five days. During the Forum week, a total of 90 Ordinary Thematic Sessions (OTS), 33 High-level Panels (HLP), 62 Special Sessions (SS) and 46 Side Events (SE) were presented. More than 80 meetings were led or organized by WWC members and Task forces. There was also an Exhibition Hall, a Village of Solutions, a Village of Sanitation, and a special place for youth conferences. The Head of States meeting under the auspices of President Macky Sall took place as part of the political segment. For the first time in the history of the WWF, a high-level political segment was entirely dedicated to basins. This segment on basins received all the political attention, with the presence of several key personalities. Finally, the Dakar Action Plan for basins (see also International Network of Basin Organizations - Настя above) was adopted.

The 9th World Water Forum ended with a declaration called “Blue Deal” for water security and sanitation for peace and development or the Dakar Declaration. The aim is to accelerate the implementation of the right to drinking water and sanitation for all. The declaration also emphasizes the need to mobilize all stakeholders through integrated and inclusive strategies. The declaration also stresses the importance of strengthening the protection of wetlands and encourage the conservation of traditional water systems as well as recycling and reuse of treated wastewater.

Activities in 2022

Events. The World Water Council took an active part in a number of important events in the course of the year. Among them were: the second edition of Eaumega, UNESCO's international conference on "Water, Megacities and Global Change" (January 11-14, virtual); the 3rd edition of the Brazil Water Week (May 23-27, virtual); 27th World Congress on Large Dams - ICOLD (May 27-June 3, Marseille, France); 2nd High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action "Water for Sustainable Development" 2018-2028 (June 6-9, Dushanbe, Tajikistan); Cairo Water Week (October 16 -19, Egypt); UN Summit on Groundwater (December 6-8, Paris).

In 2022, the World Water Council held its 9th General Assembly (December 10-11). A new Board of Governors was elected for 2023-2025 with a mandate to strengthen the political dimension of the three-year strategy and to prepare, together with Indonesia, the 10th World Water Forum (to be held in 2024 in Bali), focused on concrete innovations.

In December, on the margins of the General Assembly and the UNESCO Summit on Groundwater, WWC had several bilateral talks with: Mrs Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO; the Chinese delegation; Mr. Mohamed Abdel Vetah, High Commissioner of the Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Senegal; the Japanese delegation; and, the Korean delegation.

Publications. Blended Finance in the Water Sector (April); Nature Contributing to Water Security? An Investor Guide (June); Water Security for World Health, Annual report 2021 of the World Water Council (edited in July); Quadrennial Report 2022 (December).

Source: WWC