Global Water Partnership Tanzania (GWPTZ) is working with various stakeholders including the Ministry of Water to accelerate progress for attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on Water and Sanitation.

At a recent stakeholders’ consultation workshop held in Dar es Salaam on development of strategic action plans for achieving SDG 6.5.1 in river basins in Tanzania, GWP Tanzania unveiled the Sustainable Development Goals Support Programme (SDG6-SP). During the stakeholder’s meeting, it was agreed that the SDG-SP programme be piloted in the Wami- Ruvu basin.

According to GWP Tanzania Executive Director Dr. Victor Kongo, the SDG-SP is being implemented in three stages which include identifying challenges, developing action plans, and implementing the solutions. The programme is now at stage two.

“We have four priority areas for the current stage namely developing strategic action plans on resource mobilization for Integrated Water Resources Management; Capacity building; Knowledge management and monitoring and evaluation,” said Dr. Kongo.

Guest of honour at the workshop, Dr. George Lugomela, who is the Director of Water Resources Department in Ministry of Water in Tanzania said the meeting was relevant as Tanzania stating that the 9 basins in the country would benefit from the strategic plans that would be developed.

He said 7 of the 9 basins had already prepared their Integrated Water Resources Management and Development (IWRMD) plans and that the other two basins were in the process of preparing their respective plans.

“The strategic plans that you are currently developing for Wami-Ruvu basin can be adopted by other basins especially during review of their IWRMD plans,” said Dr. Lugomela. The Wami Ruvu Basin Board said was excited about the programme.

“We are happy indeed to see GWP Tanzania supporting us to develop the four strategic action plans for Wami-Ruvu basin. We have been looking forward to developing these action plans for a long time,’ said Eng. Elibariki Mmasy, the Director of Wami Ruvu Basin Board.

During the meeting, the consultants who are drafting the respective strategic plans made presentations on progress of the various action plans that they had been working on. Mr. Yusuph Kanjenje presented on the Development of Knowledge Management and Exchange strategic Action Plan for achieving SDG 6.5.1 in Wami-Ruvu basin.

Another presentation was on Development of Capacity Building Strategic Action Plan for achieving SDG 6.5.1 in Wami-Ruvu which was presented by Dr. Nyamboge Chacha. The other consultants are Dr. Subira Munishi who is leading the development of Strategic Action Plan on Resources Mobilization while Dr. Gratian is leading efforts to develop action plan on Monitoring and Evaluation for Wami-Ruvu basin.
The workshop brought together policymakers from the Ministry of Water in Tanzania, Water experts from different basins of Tanzania, Academia, Development Partners, and Practitioners.