Successful Showcase of the Water Resilience Tracker Project at the 7th Cairo Water Week and 9th Africa Water Week
October 2024 marked a critical moment for the Water Resilience Tracker (WRT) team as we presented at the 7th Cairo Water Week (CWW) and 9th Africa Water Week (AWW). Our sessions highlighted the WRT's pivotal role in national adaptation planning, water security, and climate resilience, with a strong focus on countries vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
These sessions were convened by WRT partners Deltares, Arup, IWMI, and AGWA under the Just Transitions for Water Security (JTWS) initiative, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office (FCDO). The JTWS program supports countries in integrating water resilience into climate adaptation strategies, helping to unlock investments that strengthen both economic and social resilience.
Our first session at the 7th Cairo Water Week, titled Boosting Transitions for Water Security through Integrated Adaptation Actions for Water Resilience, introduced the Water Resilience Tracker’s Phase II. This high-level session emphasized the critical role of water resilience in climate adaptation, particularly in regions facing water scarcity and climate-induced risks. As Meike van Ginneken, the Netherlands Water Envoy, aptly stated: “If water is the problem, water is also the solution.”
The session brought together experts to discuss the integration of water resilience into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Speakers such as Walid Hakiki, Ministry of Water Resources & Irrigation of Egypt, Meike van Ginneken, and Olufunke Cofie from IWMI highlighted innovative approaches to financing and managing water resources. Eman Wahby from the UN Climate Champions Team concluded the session with reflections on the collaborative nature of this work, underscoring that the transition to water resilience is a shared responsibility.
On October 15 during the 9th Africa Water Week, our second session, titled Empowering Climate Action: Leveraging Tools for National Adaptation Planning, focused on the collaboration between three key tools: the Water Resilience Tracker (WRT), the Action on Water Adaptation and Resilience (AWARe), and the International Panel on Deltas and Coastal Areas (IPDC). This session showcased how these tools can work together to complement each other’s efforts in the region.
The discussion explored how the WRT helps shape NAPs and NDCs by embedding water resilience into climate adaptation processes. Experts from Morocco and the UAE provided both global and regional perspectives, emphasizing the importance of integrating water into climate planning. Alongside colleagues from the University of Cologne, IPDC, and others, we explored WRT Phase II and its potential to support climate goals across countries in the MENA region.
Both sessions underscored the importance of applying the WRT tool as a crucial element of global climate adaptation strategies. As we prepare to roll out WRT Phase II at the country level, we remain committed to working with our partners to ensure that water resilience becomes central to national and regional climate plans.
For more information on the WRT or to explore collaboration opportunities, please reach out to Idrees Malyar, the Water Resilience Tracker Director.