Water for life in Africa: Potential of Earth Observation for an Optimal Use Special Session on Water Management in Africa Kamal LABBASSI Professor, CDU, Morocco, Secretary General of AARSE 13th-15th June, 2017 Sunyani, Ghana

Problem Identification on water issues Water = LIFE Scarcity >>>>> food security, and health abundant >>>> disasters, deterioration of infrastructure. Africa: water is one of the most endangered resources of the continent, while at the same time it represents one of the main critical elements for society, development and security.   Lack of water relevant information represents a critical drawback for African governments to completely understand the current status, to identify the problems and to set up adaptation and mitigation

Background Africa is the world’s second-driest continent after Australia. As one of the SDG, water is a crucial element in ensuring livelihoods Climate Change >> major changes in rainfall, and extreme events of flood and drought. For most African countries, policies and management decisions are often based on sparse and unreliable information, which is a major limitation for putting into practice IWRM plans. IWRM strategies for: increasing the number of people who have access to safe water and adequate sanitation, ensuring food security by expanding available water resources for irrigation and protecting society and economy by effectively managing the governance of water, including coping with droughts, floods and desertification.

Objectives is to promote an exchange of ideas through discussions that included sharing of knowledge and experience, to build upon the commonalities of approach different actors towards addressing integrated water resource management in the context of environmental / climate changes. The outcome of the session will be a plan of action for the management of water resources in the African continent.

Key questions 1- How IWRM could contribute to address challenges and achieve water security in Africa, by implementing national stages of development and emphasized the need of coordination among various sectors. 2- What about the availability of data collection instruments and data sharing over Africa 3- How to integrate activities under AfriGEOSS? 4- Which relevant actions should be undertaken after symposium?

Expected outcomes Identify critical issues and the role of EO in WRM in Africa. Assess information needs and the potential benefits of EO and integrated information systems in the WRM. Identify governance gaps in addressing WRM issues and requirements for information and strategies to improve the performance of the water sector. Identify needs and opportunities for capacity building, and south-south cooperation.

Planned Activities: 2017 Establish coordination team (1 -2 per region ) Develop AfriGEOSS WRM concept document; Develop inventory of on-going projects on water in Africa; Develop inventory of water institutions / organizations in Africa; Establish technical teams on specific tasks such as data for water; water-energy-food nexus; resource mapping etc.; Raise awareness of stakeholders (national and regional water authorities and basins) on value of Earth Observation, AfriGEOSS and GEO activities.

Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Coordination Team REGION NAME ORGANISATION COUNTRY   Northern Africa Essifi, Bouajila Institut des Régions Arides (IRA) TUNISIA Islam sabry National Water Research Center EGYPT Eastern Africa Raphael Tshimanga Deputy Head of Research, Department of Natural Resources Management, University of Kinshasa DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Central Africa Chrétien Ngouanet Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation National Institute of Cartography CAMEROUN Western Africa Amos Tiereyangn Kabo-Bah University of Energy and Natural Ressources GHANA Yekini Anifowose Federal University of Technology, AKURE NIGERIA Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Evison Kapangaziwiri  CSIR Natural Resources & the Environment SOUTH AFRICA

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