G-WADI Dakar Workshop Water: Science, Policy and Capacity Development

Dec. 3, 2010

The UNESCO G-WADI programme in conjunction with UNW-DPC is launching a capacity development activity focused on the semi-arid regions of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The primary goal of this programme is to enhance the communication between scientists and those engaged in policy and management of (mainly) groundwater resources, as outlined in the attached document. It will also serve as a forum to launch G-WADI activities in semi-arid regions of SSA. For this end we are requesting submission of short abstracts as follows: Participants are requested to submit a title of presentations short abstracts (max 150 words) to Prof W M Edmunds by March 15. Short papers (4 pages with suitable illustrations) should be brought to the meeting. These papers will initially form the edited proceedings of the meeting and material for the African G-WADI web site. It is planned that selected papers will form the nucleus of a peer reviewed publication on Water, Science, Policy and Capacity Development in Water Scarce regionsFor any logistical question or local arrangements please write to:

Background

UNESCO’s programme for Water and Development Information for Arid Lands: A Global Network for Arid Lands (G-WADI) was established by the Intergovernmental Council of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP). Successful G-WADI initiatives to date have been primarily scientific. The transfer of technology and science is the prime target of G-WADI yet the need to communicate research outcomes with policy makers, water managers and those involved in education, capacity building and social programmes is also important. Policy relating to water security relies on outputs from multidisciplinary science – relating to energy, climate, ecology and agriculture for example - as well as social factors such as sustainable development, gender, equity and demographics.

At present there is no formal representation in G-WADI of countries/partners from the Sahel and southern African semi-arid regions. We recognise that there are current gaps in activities in relation to the G-WADI objectives that would be resolved by an initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). To this end a capacity building activity is being launched, based on countries that have the potential to be the nucleus of a G-WADI network in SSA.

The G-WADI  Dakar Workshop Dakar Workshop is being jointly organized by  UNESCO-IHP and UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC). UNW-DPC is a joint programme of UN agencies and Programmes cooperating within the framework of UN-Water. UNW-DPC supports UN-Water in the field of water-related capacity development by working on the full range of individual, organizational and institutional capacity development.
UNW-DPC and UNESCO-IHP are working on a joint project within the framework of  IHP’s G-WADI initiative to support capacity development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This meeting will also contribute to the UNESCO’s mission under IHP–VII (2008-2013) 'Water Dependencies: Systems under Stress and Societal Responses' which is to strengthen scientific understanding of the impacts from global changes on water systems, and to link scientific findings to policies for promoting sustainable management of water resources.

Meeting Objectives

The primary objective of this first workshop is to explore the scope of regional scientific projects relating to arid and semi-arid regions of Africa and the impacts they have had or are having on development and policy. At the same time the research inputs and requirements of policymakers in dealing with water security in water scarce areas will be examined. The aim is to make scientific data and knowledge about this region more accessible and see how scientific solutions could be better taken up or promoted. It would also enable the scientific community to become better informed about local and regional policy questions and to consider responsive solutions. Another objective of this sub-regional workshop is to identify existing gaps and needs in capacity development related to research, curricula development and also institutional capacity.

The meeting will then focus on capacity development, promoting improved scientific exchange and developing networks in arid and semi-arid areas of Africa. Similarly the opportunities will be explored for optimising dialogue between water science and water policy, relating to groundwater development in particular.

It is anticipated that the formation of a G-WADI network for the SSA region would be an outcome of the meeting.

Venue

The meeting is being organized with the collaboration of University Cheikh Anta Diop and the sessions will be held at the UCAD II Conference Center from 20 to 21 April 2010.

Provisional Programme

(note the allocations within the two days will be decided after response to second circular)

Tuesday 20th

Opening Session (Prof. Chair H Wheater, Prof. C B Gaye)
Moderator: Dr. Marcel Tchaou

  • Prof. Alioune Kane, Head of School
  • Dr Reza Ardakanian , Director of UNW-DPC
  • Ms. Ann Therese Ndong-Jatta Director UNESCO Dakar Office
  • Prof Abdin Salih Chair, Inter governmental council of IHP, UNESCO
  • Dr. Anil Mishra , Programme Specialist, IHP UNESCO

Morning Session (Chair: Prof. H Wheater and, rapporteur:  Prof. C B Gaye)

Afternoon Session (Dr Reza Ardakanian , rapporteur: Prof. H Wheater)

Keynote Paper (to be confirmed)

  • Mme Anta Seck - Ministry of Water, Dakar, Head of water Planning

Background papers

  • Prof W M Edmunds (University of Oxford UK)

Regional and Local Case Studies (Science and Policy)

  • Prof. Howard Wheater (Imperial College London)
  • Prof. Gamal Abdo et al. (Univ Khartoum, Sudan)
  • Prof. Cheikh B Gaye et al. (Univ Dakar)
  • Dr. Ibrahim Baba Goni (Univ Maiduguri, Nigeria)
  • Dr. Abdel Kader Dodo (OSS, Tunis)
  • Dr. Seifu Kebede (Univ Addis Ababa)
  • Dr. Greg Christelis (Water Ministry, Namibia)
  • Dr. Aleix Serrat-Capdevila (ICIWaRM, USA)

Background papers – Policy and Management

  • Mr. Fadel Ndao (PEPAM World Bank Programme)
  • Mr. Babacr Dieng (Expert Consultant)
  • Mr. Seye (WSP World Bank Programme)

Plenary Discussion

Wednesday 21st

Morning and Afternoon Session Chair Prof. W M Edmunds and Prof. A Salih
rapporteur: Dr Reza Ardakanian  and Prof. Gaye

Policy experience and challenges, capacity development and networks

  • Prof. Yves Travi (Univ Avignon, France)
  • Dr. Alexandros Makrigakis (UNESCO Addis Ababa)
  • Dr. Adama Mariko, (ENI) Bamako, Mali
  • Dr. Yahaya Nazoumou, University of Niamey, Niger
  • Dr. Abdou Ali, AGRHYMET, Niamey
  • Prof. Ousseynou Dia (Senegalese Academy of Sciences
  • Prof Alioune Kane (Head of University Environmental Team EDEQUE)
  • Dr. Reza Ardakanian (Director of UNW-DPC)
  • Other possible speakers (self-funded):
    Dr. Ralph Hall (Virginia Tech, USA)
    Prof. Jim Thomas (Univ Reno Nevada, USA)

Plenary Discussion Chair: Prof. W M Edmunds and Prof. A Salih

G-WADI network proposal: Dr. Anil Mishra Prof. W M Edmunds and Prof. A Salih

Future programme and timetable

Themes of the Workshop

  1. Case studies or study on selected science based projects and to what extent their results have been taken up by the communities involved or by policy makers and managers
  2. Examples of policy, which illustrate how specific scientific results have been used and/or what are the scientific needs
  3. New approaches to improving the science-policy-science dialogue between all parties involved in integrated water management.
  4. Capacity development solutions and networks

Submission of Abstracts & Papers

Participants are requested to submit a title of presentations short abstracts (max 150 words) to Prof W M Edmunds (wme@btopenworld.com) by March 1st. Short papers (4 pages with suitable illustrations) should be brought to the meeting. These papers will initially form the edited proceedings of the meeting and material for the African G-WADI web site. It is planned that selected papers will form the nucleus of a peer reviewed publication on Water, Science, Policy and Capacity Development in Water Scarce regions

Timetable

January 2010: Letters of invitation
February 10th: Second Circular
March 1st: Submission of Paper Titles and max 150-word abstract
March 31st: Final Circular with Programme
April 20-21st: Workshop: 4-page papers to be brought to meeting
May 31st: Distribution of conference proceedings
Summer 2010: Launch of African G-WADI