10.45 to 12.15

There is a growing consensus of the importance of the role of parliaments in the realization of WASH goals, and this role involves parliamentary engagement with CSOs. However to date, the relationship between these two parties have been largely uncoordinated.

The COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a magnifying glass on pressing water and sanitation challenges in Africa, especially for the 56% of the urban population living in informal settlements, lacking access to proper hygiene conditions. Climate change, urbanisation and population growth will add further pressure on water resources. This session will aim at raising the profile of Mayors and City leaders in enhancing water security in Africa. Participants will discuss challenges and opportunities towards water security in Africa.

Addressing the policy, institutional and regulatory aspects of water and sanitation service delivery is more crucial than ever before. The reason? PIR is a key enabler of other levers – such as financing, infrastructure, and technical solutions - for meeting SDG6. By focusing on an integrated approach, PIR can help address systemic challenges to sustainability – such as climate change and short-term crises and shocks. This session will zoom in on how PIR can be an enabler of financial and technical solutions and enhance their impact for better services.

Investing in nature-based solutions, such as preserving or restoring wetlands and natural flood management measures, is essential to enhance water security. These solutions can complement or substitute for grey infrastructure, such as built reservoirs and water treatment plants. Mobilising funding for those solutions raises specific challenges, as they generate multiple benefits for a diverse range of beneficiaries - and only some of these benefits can be monetised.

Capacity development is permanently necessary in all the institutions in charge of the management of water services or water resources. Cooperation between academic or training organizations can bring interesting experience sharing inputs and accelerate both the dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge as well as operational practices.

Adaptation to climate change requires a strong knowledge of its impacts, especially on water resources and related ecosystems: we cannot manage what we do not know.
The current Sentinel / Copernicus constellation, the upcoming SWOT and TRISHNA mission can be combined to build knowledge regarding rainfall, discharge and evaporation. More generally, “multi-sensor” satellite data can be mobilized, since these data are essential for water resource management and climate change adaptation.

This section aims to discuss how multipurpose dams are adapting to changes caused by climate change and the increasing pressure from different water uses. This involves discussions on how different management approaches, including adaptative strategies, available instruments (standards) and other mechanisms can contribute to meeting future demands for energy security, sustainability and resilience of multi-purpose infrastructures and water security.

International cooperation invests substantial efforts and resources in the water sector, with for instance 9.3 billion dollars in Official Development Assistance allocated to the sector for 2019 alone .

The session will present global initiatives and concrete examples of cooperation over groundwater resources of transboundary aquifers contributing to foster cooperation and preventing conflicts.

This session will showcase examples on the role of transboundary water cooperation as a tool for peace. The speakers will present several tools and mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation over transboundary water resources, and the levers they can bring to foster stability and prevent tensions.