GWP Somali Chapter

Meeting Between SWCE and Regional Coordinator of GWP-Eastern African

On issues regarding to on-going preparation process for
establishing of Global Water Partnership – Somali Chapter

2004-02-05
Somali Centre for Water & Environment (SCWE) recieved a copy of the letter sent by the Global Water Partnership - Eastern Africa (GWP-EnA) Regional Coordinator on 30th September 2003 regarding the prepartion for establishing of GWP – Somali Water Partnership.

In the letter, it was mentioned that one has to reach out to the wider Somali community living abroad; in order to establish a multi-stakeholder forum that is widely representative and can provide the critical mass needed to support Integrated Water Resources Management for sustainable development of the country. We support the ideas discussed and decisions reached at the meeting held between the GWP-EnA regional coordinator and the two gentlemen, Mr. Ossoble and Mr. Walayo.

We, SCWE, have been recently in Somalia, December 2003, where we established a cooperation agreement with Mogadishu Universty and we created a Centre for Water and Environment Issues. SCWE has applied to be a member of the GWP Eastern Africa.

Taking advantage of Mr. Simon Thuo, Regional Coordinator for GWP-EnA who is at present in Stockholm, we have arranged this meeting between SCWE and the regional coordinator here in Stockholm, Sweden (5/2-2004). The aim of the meeting is to discuss contributions to the process of establsihing Country Water Partnership for Somalia. The meeting discusses the following points:

The progress of the process of establishing Somalia Water Partnership, which will be a member of the Regional GWP-EnA.
What kinds of obstacles and opportunities that exist today in the establishment process, and how to overcome the obstacles.
The role that the SCWE can play in the eslablishment process of the Somali Country Water Partnership. SCWE is ready to contribute any meeting aimed at establishing of the Somali Country Water Partnership.
Type of activities that could come out after the establishing process has been finished.

The meeting agreed to persue the idea of creating the critical mass that can contribute to the creation of the Somali Country Water Partnership. The SCWE has promised to play a greater roll in that process and spread the information to in Somalia and try to find others that can show interest in the idea. The regional Coordinator understood the importance of the Mogadishu University as an institution in the process. In order to craete a critical mass that can change the situation Mr. Simon also want to get support from other active organisations in Mogadishu and in other parts of the country, and he is together with us planing a discussion meeting that could be held in Nairobi in the near future.

Mr. Simon will send the minutes of the meeting.