The Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM), is a river basin organisation established through the OKACOM Agreement of 1994, by the three riparian states of Angola, Botswana and Namibia to jointly manage water resources in the Cubango-Okavango River Basin (CORB). OKACOM’s basin-wide shared vision for the CORB is “economically prosperous, socially just and environmentally healthy development of the Cubango-Okavango River Basin”. This quarterly newsletter is a collation of updates of the progress of the joint efforts of members states, International Cooperation Partners (ICPs), Community based organisations, NGOs and implementing partners on achieving this vision.
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From the Executive Secretary’s Office
Partnerships are Key to Building a Shared Vision
The shared vision is one where the Cubango-Okavango River Basin becomes “economically prosperous, socially just, and environmentally healthy” thus it thrives in environmental sustainability, while there is an improvement of the welfare and living conditions of the communities that depend on it for their livelihoods. Ideally the spin offs of a thriving Basin will lead to increased economic growth, illustrating that through the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) the vision is indeed attainable. The acknowledgement of the valuable contributions of the three Member States, through their respective Ministers responsible for water resource management and their staff, OKACOM Commissioners, members of the Okavango Basin Steering Committee, International Cooperating Partners, researchers, NGOS and private sector is of great importance.
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The Resilient Waters Program Launched in Angola
OKACOM and USAID Southern Africa jointly launched USAID’s Resilient Waters Program in Menongue, Angola on 24 September, 2019. The USAID Resilient Waters is a five-year, USD 32 million project, with a goal to build more resilient and water secure Southern African communities and ecosystems through improved management of trans-boundary natural resources and increased access to safe drinking water and sanitation services. USAID will cooperate with Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and other regional structures such as River Basin Organizations and Transfrontier Conservation Areas to implement the project and achieve its aims of building resilience and water security in Southern Africa. The main beneficiaries of this programme are the two river basin organisations (RBOs), OKACOM and Limpopo watercourse Commission (LIMCOM) and the two Trans-frontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) of Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA-TFCA), Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GL-TFCA) and Southern African Development Community (SADC).
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Regional Consultations on OKACOM Data Sharing Protocol
OKACOM with support from the European Union (EU) through the Technical Assistance for the Programme for Transboundary Water Management in the Cubango-Okavango River Basin (CORB) has been working to improve its data sharing procedures through consultations with the three member states of Angola, Botswana and Namibia. This is in line with the Basin Development Management Framework which recognises that in order to enable the member states to make informed decisions, basin-wide information sharing tools and a jointly agreed Decision Support Framework needs to be developed.
Following the national consultations, the first regional workshop on the DSP was held in October 2019 in Gaborone, Botswana and brought together members of the Okavango Basin Steering Committee (OBSC), the Water Resources Technical Committee (WRTC) and representatives from the three members states. As a follow up, a second regional workshop was held on 12 February 2020 in Windhoek, Namibia to further discuss any pending issues and report on progress.
Joint Surveys for Water Quality & Hydrological Flows Baseline Assessment
The Cubango-Okavango River Basin (CORB) is one of the world’s relatively undisturbed trans-boundary basins, with unique hydrological and ecological features. It is endowed with diverse natural resources which support the livelihoods of an estimated 1,2 million people who form the riparian communities living throughout the expanse of the Basin. The Basin supports predominantly rural communities located either adjacent to the river or along side the roads. Through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and with financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), OKACOM conducted three joint water quality and quantity surveys in July 2018, during the high flow season and in November 2018 during which is the low flow season. The survey continued in May 2019 and the results of the joint surveys will be used to provide baseline data to inform the development of a comprehensive Monitoring Framework to the CORB and associated thematic monitoring plans.
Freshwater Health Index for The Basin
In partnership with Conservation International (CI) and Gabinete para Administração da Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Cunene (GABHIC), OKACOM held a two day workshop on the Freshwater Health Index (FHI) on 3-4 March 2020 in Luanda, Angola. The FHI is a tool that evaluates different indicators of ecosystem vitality, ecosystem services and water governance to provide an overview of the hydrological status of the Cubango-Okavango River Basin (CORB). The workshop aimed to introduce the FHI framework and share preliminary results from the Angolan part of the Basin. Participants included key players in the management of the CORB such as members of the Water Resource Technical Committee (WRTC), Okavango River Basin Commission Steering Committee (OBSC), OKACOM Secretariat, provincial partners, National Geographic and NGOs. As one of the supporting partners, CI aims to establish synergies and strengthen alliances with OKACOM whilst contributing a sustainable model of integrated watershed management in the context of the OKACOM activities and GABHIC aspirations for the region.
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Groundwater Assessment for the CORB
An Inception Workshop for the Groundwater Assessment of the Cubango-Okavango River Basin (CORB) was held on 11 March 2020 in Gaborone, Botswana and attended by OKACOM Secretariat, Water Resources Technical Committee (WRTC) members, USAID Resilient Waters Programme. With support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), through Support to the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) Implementation, OKACOM is facilitating the development of Basin wide Environmental Monitoring Framework for the CORB which will subsequently guide and inform monitoring projects and programmes within Basin. The SAP-related monitoring activities will include Groundwater Monitoring as OKACOM recognises the need for transboundary management of groundwater resources and the linkages between surface water and groundwater.
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UNDP-GEF Demonstration Projects Update
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with finance from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is providing technical and financial support to OKACOM through the “Support to the Implementation of the Cubango-Okavango River Basin Strategic Action Programme". A key component of this 2 year project is the demonstration of environmentally conscious livelihoods and socio-economic development in the Basin. Selected demonstration projects advocate for uplifting of livelihoods of basin communities by improving socio-economic through harnessing natural resources in manner that will minimum adverse impacts to and enhanced protection of the basin ecosystem. Here is an update from Botswana and Namibia projects:
Conservation Tourism Through Strengthened Partnerships Demonstration Project
The Sikerete Concession, is dedicated to conservation tourism development inside the Khaudum National Park which falls within the Cubango-Okanago River Basin. The concession offers an opportunity to demonstrate a model that strengthens conservation and socio-economic development objectives through a partnership approach which involves national park, conservancies, communities and the private sector. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia, in partnership with OKACOM, is facilitating the construction of eight tented guest rooms (with 16 bed occupancy), establishment of nine camping sites with 36 campers’ capacity. In addition, the project will rehabilitate three conventional chamber septic tanks and four camping ablution facilities at the Sikerete Tourism Campsite.
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Enhancing Horticulture Production and Linkage to Higher End Tourism Markets in Maun and Okavango Demonstration Project
The Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security (MADFS) of Botswana, in partnership with OKACOM, is implementing Horticulture Demonstration Projects within the vicinity of Maun and Shakawe. The project addresses barriers which hinder quality horticultural production such as poor farming techniques and the lack of coordinated cropping schedules. In addition, the Project facilitates coordination and collaboration amongst local farmers with the view to enhance their ability to jointly lobby for access to existing markets. Following the selection of twenty demonstration farmers in Maun through a set criteria with the MADFS, Ngamiland Horticulture Growers Association and Botswana Horticulture Council; the project has established water and other production related infrastructures in Maun.
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OKACOM Community Consultations a Success
To guide OKACOM on where to focus support for improvement of rural livelihoods within the Basin, a series of community consultations were held with the support of partners who have a similar interest supporting livelihood resilience including the EU-funded programme, USAID Resilient Waters Programme (RWP), The Nature Conservancy, UKAid Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility (CRIDF), International Union for Conservation of Nature, World Wildlife Fund and the UNDP-GEF.
These engagements took place in September and October of 2019 and brought together local NGOs, Community based organisations, traditional leaders, representatives of ministries, and took place in Menogue, Maun and Rundu, in the three member states of Angola, Botswana and Namibia respectively. Watch this video produced by RWP documenting the inclusive process and key insights.
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MEETINGS & EVENTS
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