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National workshop related to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes: Namibia’s accession process

31 May - 01 June 2022
Windhoek Namibia
Namibia National Workshop

With a view to possible accession, a national workshop was jointly convened by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform of Namibia and the Secretariat of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) serviced by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) on 31 May and 1 June in Windhoek, Namibia to raise broader awareness of the Convention and develop a road map for accession. 

The general objective of the workshop was to inform stakeholders about the Water Convention, to share about the processes initiated by Government of Namibia to become party to the Water Convention and to discuss the next steps in the accession process. 

Specifically, the workshop enabled participants to: 

  • Inform stakeholders about the Water Convention; 
  • Identify the benefits, possible advantages and strategic objectives of possible accession to the Convention for Namibia; 
  • Inform about the accession process, benefits and implementation by new African Parties; 
  • Discuss the practical implementation of the Water Convention to meet the challenges of water resource management in Namibia, based on the experience of existing Parties; 
  • Present the initiatives started by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform as part of Namibia's accession process to the Water Convention; 
  • Arrange a Question and Answer session on frequently asked questions from stakeholders about the Water Convention; 
  • Discuss the next steps and road map in the accession process and the contribution of this process to Namibia's transboundary and national water management. 

The results achieved through this workshop are: 

  • Stakeholders were informed about the cooperation framework of the Water Convention at the global level and discussed the future engagement of Namibia with the Convention’s Programme of Work 2022-24; 
  • The advantages for States to become party to the Water Convention were presented; 
  • Updates on the efforts initiated for Namibia’s accession to the Convention were presented; 
  • The actors were informed on the next steps of the accession process and the contribution of this process to Namibia's national water management and transboundary water cooperation were discussed; 
  • Actors defined a roadmap, with key milestones agreed, for accession to the Water Convention. 

Link to Press release: https://unece.org/climate-change/news/namibia-posits-benefits-water-convention-accession-manage-its-shared-water

 

Concept Note

27700 _ Concept Note _ 368648 _ English _ 773 _ 356694 _ pdf

Agenda

27701 _ Agenda _ 368649 _ English _ 773 _ 356695 _ pdf

SESSION 1: OPENING SESSION

29295 _ H.E. Hon. Ms. Anna Ndahambelela Shiweda, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Namibia _ 368650 _ English _ 773 _ 356697 _ pdf
29295 _ Ms. Sonja Koeppel, Secretary of the Water Convention _ 368651 _ English _ 773 _ 356698 _ pdf
29295 _ Mr. Achim Schaffert, Head of Cooperation of the European Union to Namibia _ 368652 _ English _ 773 _ 356699 _ pdf
29295 _ Mr. Sen Pang, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Namibia _ 368653 _ English _ 773 _ 356700 _ pdf

SESSION 1: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF THE CONVENTIONS

Overview UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (1992), and Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (1997)

29374 _ Why 2 UN global Water Conventions? Key provisions, similarities, differences & complementarities of both global legal frameworks for consideration by Namibia, Mr. Remy Kinna, Legal Officer, Water Convention Secretariat _ 368711 _ English _ 773 _ 356806 _ pdf

Overview UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (1992), and Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (1997)

29374 _ The institutional framework supporting the 1992 Water Convention, its Programme of Work and implementation on the ground, Ms. Sonja Koeppel, Secretary to the Water Convention _ 368712 _ English _ 773 _ 356807 _ pdf

Overview UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (1992), and Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (1997)

29374 _ Activities and experience from the perspective of Hungary, Mr. Peter Kovacs, Water Director, Hungary, Member of the Bureau to the Water Convention _ 368713 _ English _ 773 _ 356808 _ pdf

SESSION 2: NAMIBIA’S WATER CONTEXT: NATIONAL & TRANSBOUNDARY

Namibia’s national and regional transboundary water management contexts and example of the Water Convention’s role and relevance for Namibia’s transboundary agreements

29392 _ Transboundary water cooperation agreements, institutions and activities and their alignment with the Water Convention, Ms. Maria Amakali, Director: Water Resource Management, Ministry of Agriculture, Namibia _ 368714 _ English _ 773 _ 356823 _ pdf

Namibia’s national and regional transboundary water management contexts and example of the Water Convention’s role and relevance for Namibia’s transboundary agreements

29392 _ Relationship between the Convention and Namibia’s Transboundary Basin Governance Arrangements: Example of the ZAMCOM Agreement, Benefits assessments on cooperation briefs and activities, Mr. Felix Ngamlagosi, Executive Secretary, (ZAMCOM) _ 368715 _ English _ 773 _ 356824 _ pdf

SESSION 3: CONVENTION PERSPECTIVES (COUNTRY & BASIN) & PRACTICAL APPLICATION

The Water Convention: Presentations on value add and lessons learned

29393 _ The experience of Ghana: context of accession to both UN global water conventions, the value add for Ghana, and developing a road map to accede to the Water Convention, Ms. Bernadette Adjei, Director, Legal and Monitoring Department, Ghana _ 368717 _ English _ 773 _ 356826 _ pdf

The Water Convention: Presentations on value add and lessons learned

29393 _ Activities and experience from the perspective of Finland , Mr. Turo Hjerppe, Senior Specialist at Finnish Ministry of the Environment _ 368718 _ English _ 773 _ 356827 _ pdf

The Water Convention: Presentations on value add and lessons learned

29393 _ Relationship between the Convention and Transboundary Basin Governance Arrangements: The OKACOM Agreement, Benefits Assessment on Cooperation Brief and activities, Mr. Phera Ramoeli, Executive Secretary, OKACOM _ 368720 _ English _ 773 _ 356829 _ pdf

SESSION 4: BENEFITS & CHALLENGES FOR NAMIBIA IN ACCEDING TO THE WATER CONVENTION (1)

Key issues to address and milestones to cover in Namibia’s accession process

29394 _ Key issues to address and milestones to cover in Namibia’s accession process _ 368721 _ English _ 773 _ 356831 _ pdf

SESSION 6: BENEFITS & CHALLENGES FOR NAMIBIA IN ACCEDING TO THE WATER CONVENTION (2)

Developing Namibia’s integrated road map to accession

29395 _ Basic common steps in the accession process summarized from previous experiences, as outlined in the Convention FAQs publication, Mr. Peter Kovacs, Water Director, Hungary, Member of the Bureau to the Water Convention _ 368722 _ English _ 773 _ 356832 _ pdf

Developing Namibia’s integrated road map to accession

29395 _ The experience of Ghana: Sharing their road map to accession as well as key challenges and advice to share, Ms. Bernadette Adjei, Director, Legal and Monitoring Department, Water Resources Commission, Ghana _ 368723 _ English _ 773 _ 356833 _ pdf

Developing Namibia’s integrated road map to accession

29395 _ Legal requirements for Namibia the road map for accession, Representative of Office of Attorney General, Namibia _ 368725 _ English _ 773 _ 356836 _ pdf

SESSION 7: AGREEING THE ROAD MAP TO ACCESSION, NEXT STEPS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Plenary discussion on road map and roles and responsibilities plus immediate next steps to take

29396 _ Links with Convention meetings and global water processes such as COP27 and the UN Water Conference 2023, Ms. Sonja Koeppel, Secretary to the Water Convention _ 368726 _ English _ 773 _ 356837 _ pdf
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