Participants & Projects Involved (IWL Share: 67.5%, a bit less of Brazil ANA is included)

• Carlos Andrade (Okavango River-Angola), Stefan de Wet (Okavango River-Namibia), Paulo Emilio Mendes (Okavango River-Angola), Tracy Molefi (Okavango-Botswana), Kalaote Kalaote (Okavango-Botswana), Laura Namene (Okavango River-Namibia), Manuel Quintino (Okavango River - FAO), Chaminda Rajapakse (Okavango River - FAO), Portia Segomelo (psegomelo@gov.bw), Joaquim Tavares (Okavango River-Angola)

Host Institution

• Brazil National Water Agency (ANA) - Carlos Motta Nunes

Other Funding Partners

• EPSMO Project

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

The Okavango River Basin (ORB) remains one of the least human impacted basins on the African continent. Mounting socio-economic pressures in the riparian countries; Angola, Botswana and Namibia, threaten to change its present character. The Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission therefore successfully solicited GEF IW funds and is now initiating the TDA/SAP process through the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Management of the Okavango (EPSMO) Project.

The EPSMO Project requests this exchange to network and benefit from experiential learning with the Agência Nacional de Águas in Brazil. This activity is especially targeted towards developing the functional capacity of the National Coordinating Units.

The following points highlight reasons for this request:

• this project is one of the first GEF-IW project in any of the three Okavango riparian countries whereas ANA has successfully executed a number of GEF projects and therefore can provide valuable insight
• The Pantanal and Upper Paraguay River Basin for which a TDA/SAP was developed by a GEF project executed by ANA has strikingly similar ecosystem characteristics to the Okavango River Basin
• Some of the projects executed by ANA, such as the GEF project for the São Francisco River Basin and its Coastal Zone, have exceptional levels of public participation providing valuable learning opportunities for the Okavango.
• Angola, contributing more than 95% of the water to the Okavango and just emerging from decades of war, has requested assistance with capacity building. This exchange with a relevant agency in a Lusophone state will allow Angola and the ANA to initiate continued cooperation that will benefit the project into the future.
• A strong sense of ownership among the three states bodes well for the success of the project but there has been some lack of clarity on the role of the governments’ vis-à-vis the implementing and executing agencies. Cooperation with GEF projects implemented/executed by government agencies would help further clarify issues

Learning Objectives

To enhance the understanding of the TDA/SAP process among the technical level personnel of the National Coordinating Units. Specifically to:

• strategically design the TDA so it informs the SAP formulation process
• develop national capacity among the relevant agencies through the project
• appreciate the necessity for and develop a strategy to ensure broad based stakeholder participation
• develop a strategy to ensure high-level government commitments toward SAP formulation
• develop follow-on projects in SAP implementation

Outputs/Outcomes

• Enhanced capacity amongst technical level officials of the National Coordinating Units (NCUs) of the three riparian countries to meaningfully manage and contribute towards the project objectives
• A program for continued technical cooperation between ANA and the Project including possible technical assistance for the ongoing TDA and SAP processes.
• A program for continued technical cooperation between Agência Nacional de Águas in Brazil and Direcção Nacional de Águas in Angola
• A report submitted to the governments, UNDP, FAO and IW-Learn documenting outputs and benefits of the technical cooperation
• Updates on the website of the Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM) website
• Documented specific experiences and learning on implementing GEF IW projects in post-conflict settings
• Initial steps towards the development of a Lusophone network of GEF IW project stakeholders

Related content

Scientific studies aid planning for Okavango River basin

okavango river basin environmental flow assessment project initiation report report no 01-2009.pdf

OKACOM at the helm of Okavango River Basin management

Stakeholder Participation: Okavango Case (Neto)

environmental protection and sustainable management of the okavango river basin epsmo governance review.pdf

gis database for the environment protection and sustainable management of the okavango river basin project.pdf

database and gis design for an expanded okavango basin information system obis.pdf