| Training Workshop for ZACPRO 6.2 Seconded Staff A training workshop for technical staff
from Zambezi River Basin states was
held recently in Zambia, hosted by the
Zambezi Action Plan Project 6 Phase II
(ZACPRO 6.2) as part of the strategy formulation
process for Integrated Water Resources
Management in the basin.
The workshop brought together 16 water
professionals seconded to ZACPRO 6.2 from
Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia,
Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The participants
will be part of a group that will inform
the IWRM strategy formulation process.
The overall objective of the workshop was
to build confidence and mutual trust
amongst the riparian states as it is recognised
within the ZACPRO 6.2 Project that doubts
about facts can frustrate collaboration in the
management of shared water resources in the
basin.
It is therefore critical to involve the
seconded staff in the IWRM strategy formulation process to legitimise the data collected
and get a buy-in from riparian countries. The
specific objectives of the training workshop
were to:
- Provide practical training on the Zambezi
Water Information System (ZAMWIS);
- Discuss “main issues and hotspots” from
the Basin as input into the Rapid
Assessment Study; and
- Discuss practical steps, in particular the
national focal persons for ZAMWIS and
facilitation support to the National
Steering Committees (NSCs).
The objective of the IWRM Strategy is to
define medium and long-term measures in
support of integrated water resources management
and protection against floods,
droughts, pollution and environmental
degradation in the river basin.
This is to be supported by the development
of a shared water information system
for the basin, a rapid assessment report highlighting current status of water resources
availability and demand, and a process of
consultation with stakeholders at national
and regional levels.
It is hoped stakeholder consultation will
help to build support and confidence, as well
as strengthen the capacity of those directly
involved in the preparation of the IWRM
strategy.
| 
