African leaders meet in Zimbabwe for first FAO regional workshop

Addis Ababa February 22, 2023 (FBC) – The first FAO regional workshop according to FAO is being held on “National Water Roadmaps”.

FAO stated that the regional workshop, held in-person in Harare and virtually, aims to inform African countries about the overall role of water in sustainable development and to provide a platform for governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector and academia to discuss and develop country-specific water plans.

The FAO Director-General of the Food of Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu explained that the National Water Roadmaps strategies that will help to strengthen water resources management are an important tool to address the growing challenges around water, helping to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Director-General, underlining that Agriculture is responsible for 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, told the workshop that it is crucial to increase water productivity with innovations in the sector being at the forefront.

He also invited African countries to look at “the big picture” of integrated water resources management to deal with increasing competition and trade-offs between sectors and increasingly work in partnerships.

At the High-Level Opening of the FAO regional workshop, Anxious Jongwe Masuka, Minister for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of Zimbabwe, in representation of the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, said that the meeting will provide Africa with a platform for the development of a shared vision and voice at the UN 2023 Water Conference.

“It is my hope that this collective position shall demonstrate a great deal of collegiality, a great deal of unity in our diversity and most importantly, will consider the needs and aspirations of the citizenry of Africa”, he underscored.

During the next two days, the event will see a series of high-level roundtables, presentations and panel discussions to define actionable regional recommendations related to financing, data, innovation, and governance, among other issues linked to water management.

By: Yonathan Yoseph