International Waters learning Exchange & Resource Network

1st African Regional Targeted Workshop for GEF IW Projects

2nd - 4th April 2012 - Grahamstown, SA
The workshop will resemble an International Waters Conference at the regional scale, with a focus on inter-project knowledge sharing (Best Lessons and Challenges). The workshop will also discuss some potential course modules to be provided by partners on content requested by Project Managers. Future learning priorities will also feature on the agenda, including twinning exchanges between projects and future workshops supported by GEF IW:LEARN. Facilitators will be drawn from the Global Community of Practice Partners (UNESCO, IUCN), Rhodes University as well as from actors in the region.

Background

For some months previous to this Workshop, UNDP, IW:LEARN and Rhodes University (South Africa) have been in consultation and negotiation to develop a partnership to support regional learning in Africa, particularly in relation to International (transboundary) Waters and their effective management. In October, 2011, an agreement (Memorandum of Intent) was duly signed between Rhodes University and UNDP to cooperate in this support. Through this signed Memorandum, both parties have agreed that they now share the objectives of promoting the building of individual capabilities and institutional capacity building in transboundary and integrated water resource management, through improved knowledge-management including the strengthening on networks and communities-of-practice. This also includes the identification, development, dissemination and enhancement of capacity to create or implement innovative materials and tools. In this context, Rhodes University, UNDP and IW:LEARN have agreed to cooperate in the support of 3 initial workshops and a variety of twinning exchanges over the next 2 years.

Workshop Objectives

The workshop will resemble an International Waters Conference at the regional scale, with a focus on inter-project knowledge sharing (Best Lessons and Challenges). The workshop will also discuss some potential course modules to be provided by partners on content requested by Project Managers. Future learning priorities will also feature on the agenda, including twinning exchanges between projects and future workshops supported by GEF IW:LEARN. Facilitators will be drawn from the Global Community of Practice Partners (UNESCO, IUCN), Rhodes University as well as from actors in the region.

The overall aim of the workshop will be to foster cooperation and sharing amongst the various IW projects in Africa so as to be able to capture and replicate best practices while identifying challenges and working together to address these challenges and find solutions. The workshop will also aim to improve participation and interaction within the IW:LEARN Global Communities of Practice (along with UNESCO and IUCN)

The workshop has the following primary objectives:

A. The presentation of areas of achievement and best practice as well as areas of challenge within each Project
B. Discussion of Priority Issues identified by the Projects in their responses to the Questionnaire (see Annex 1)
C. Identification of Potential Twinning Exercises
D. Priorities and deliverables from following two (IW:LEARN / Rhodes) workshops