Water Security Agenda as Research and Capacity Framework for Sustainable Water Futures

Session: 27. - Emerging Partnerships, Research, and Capacity in the African Great Lakes

Nidhi Nagabhatla, United Nations University- Institute for Water, Environment and Health , [email protected]
Eric Odada , University of Nairobi, School of Physical Sciences, [email protected]
Tariq Deen , UNU INWEH , [email protected]
Catherine Moez, University of Toronto, [email protected]

Abstract

The UN-Water’s conceptual framework on Water Security facilitates repositioning water in the international development discussions and sustainability agenda. UNU INWEH coordinated ‘Water Learning Center (WLC)’ in partnership with experts and institutions calls for realizing water related sustainable development goals and targets by providing data, information and knowledge towards integrated thinking to inform and influence research, programs, investment and policy agenda for realizing the water related SDG’s. The presentation will cover three aspects (a) provide an overview of WLC experience in Africa, focusing on gaps & needs in building capacity in the water sector (b) provide a summary of global scale building capacity initiative on water security; (c) transboundary cooperation is acknowledged as a key element of the water security conceptual framework (module 3  of the training course)- we will provide examples [Mekong, Nile, and the Great Lakes region ]of advanced efforts as a reference base for effective and collective mechanisms towards managing shared water systems emphasizing on how communities and countries discuss and coordinate actions to meet various and oftentimes competing interests for mutual benefit via treaties, joint institutions, commissions and research initiatives and how water security thinking could provide for innovative measure to evaluate institutional designs and operational programs.

1. Keyword
Africa

2. Keyword
decision making

3. Keyword
environmental policy

4. Additional Keyword
Water Security

5. Additional Keyword
Capacity Development

6. Additional Keyword
Sustainable Development goals