Side event SE

Objectives of the Session:
Hydro-diplomacy is a concept that has been emerging in recent years, largely as a result of the observation of rivalries over water and even the risks of "water wars". This session aims to
- conceptually highlight the potential of peace building through hydro-diplomacy, noting on the contrary the opportunity of "basin peace
- highlight the best practices of technical, legal, organizational, economic and environmental tools at the basis of a "concrete" hydro-diplomacy

In accordance with the orientations of the PRACAS which is the agricultural component of the PSE, the PNIASAN, the LPSDA, the PAP2A and the PASAD, the main challenge of the agricultural sector is to build a competitive, diversified and sustainable agriculture, to fight against poverty and to reach food and nutritional security of the populations. The objective is to show the level of productive water management in Senegal by coordinating the participation and strengthening the visibility of MAER.

The session will bring together key stakeholders of the different groups able to accelerate action: governments, multilateral organizations, UN system and MGoS. The Bonn Key Messages and Recommendations and their development during the Water Dialogues will be briefly presented and outlined how they fit into the Dakar Declaration. A discussion will allow to exchange on the necessary changes to implement cross-sectoral action and engage with other sectors, and to identify priority fields of action up to 2023 and 2030.

This presentation aims to show the link between water availability and forest ecosystem functioning. In other words, we seek to explain how the deficit of water resources in forests could affect the mitigation capacity of forests to climate change. Indeed, trees and forests, in general, sequester greenhouse gases, particularly atmospheric CO2, and contribute to the fight against climate change. This important ability of forests remains functional thanks to the mechanism of photosynthesis which is strongly dependent on the availability of water.

Building on two public debates bringing together Young Voices of the Sahel (100 young people from 10 Sahelian countries) and political decision-makers and experts, the session aims to hear the testimonies of young people around the issue of water in their daily lives, and to promote an exchange with political actors and experts to outline solutions, particularly by putting these young people in the position of actors of change, and supporting their access to courses and green jobs.

Water utilities around the world and particularly in developing countries face major challenges, in particular the high level of water losses, due to leakage in the networks, fraud, billing problems, metering problems etc. The difference between the volume of water that enters the distribution system and the water billed to consumers is called Non-Revenue Water (NRW).

The long-time partnership between GWP and AfWA has been particularly
deepened through the implementation of our joint project, the German African
Partnership for Water and Sanitation (GAPWAS), in 2019.
Through a knowledge transfer between German and African experts and the
presentation of innovative technologies, this session aims at identifying solution
strategies that can contribute to better management of storm water events in
West Africa.
With climate change, the challenge of storm water management has become a

Halam-Bi.sn ("environment" in Wolof) aims to provide a unique digital platform allowing city officials to manage in a dynamic, enlightened and collaborative way, the environmental issues (air-water-noise) posed on their territory. To know, inform, collaborate and collect the feelings of its fellow citizens, such are the objectives of Halam-Bi.sn

The session is designed as a space for exchange between participants on approaches to sensitizing rural households to sanitation issues and on sanitation marketing.
It will present the subject and the issues it covers, and discuss the evolution of the PAPTAC, from its genesis to the expanded approach.) The Marketing of Sanitation will also be the subject of exchanges, and the experiences developed by different actors will be analyzed by the participants.

Specifically, UAF-Africa will organize a high level panel on 23rd March during the main forum to discuss the challenges that African womn face when it comes to access, control and use of water. The panel discussions will entail conversations that uplift a critical feminist analysis of African womn’s water justice struggles. Additionally, the panel discussion will seek to center thought leadership and influence feminist action of alternative solutions to the dominant water governance challenges that African Womn face.