THE ORGANIZATION
UK-DFID Support for the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
In 2003, WWAP received funding from United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (UK-DFID) to undertake development of National Fresh Water Assessment in five African countries.
The Challenge:
The Millennium Development Goals have set the target to reduce by half, the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and sanitation by 2015.
In order to achieve this goal, National authorities and resource managers need, besides other elements, sound scientific data on which to base their projections and decision-making.
Within the UN system-wide effort of World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), UNESCO has the leading role of ensuring the knowledge-base.
UK’s support for the knowledge-base:
In 2003, with the aim of assisting selected African countries to improve their self assessment capacities, DFID provided funding for the World Water Assessment Program, under the guidance of UNESCO. More specifically, the UK funded WWAP project aimed implementing a Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting system (MER) while determining the status quo of the water resources in five countries namely Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, South Africa and Uganda.
Objectives Achieved:
The main results of this project that were supported by the DFID fund were:
- - a series of national workshops were organised
- - national water committees were created
- - through both online support and mission assignments of WWAP experts assistance was provided to local personnel in drafting their National Water Reports
Related Links:
DFID’s water strategy paper “ Addressing the Water Crisis – Healthier and More Productive Lives for Poor People” (pdf file)