Convener: Convenor: SADC Groundwater Management Institute

Background

Groundwater is critically relevant in Southern Africa due to its significant impact on the region's water security, agriculture, and overall socio-economic development. However, rising demand, over-extraction, and pollution have threatened groundwater resources, severely threatening water security and community well-being. 

In pursuance of the focus area of creating an enabling environment, SADC-GMI implemented the project entitled "Policy, Legal and Institutional Development for Groundwater Management in the SADC Member States (GMI-PLI)." The project was conducted to identify gaps that must be addressed to fulfil the SADC-GMI mandate – to achieve sustainable groundwater management in all 16 SADC Member States. The analytical assessment of the gaps identified at the national level culminated in the production of 16 National Gap Analysis and Action Plan Reports and the higher-level Regional Gap Analysis Report. 

It is against this background and in response to the need to strengthen the sustainable use of groundwater resources conjunctively with surface water at both the national and regional levels that the Southern African Development Community – Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI) is supporting the development of Groundwater Policy, Legal and Institutional (PLI) Enabling Environment Roadmaps and Implementation of PLI Quick-win Interventions in Selected SADC Member States and at SADC Regional Level.

Aim of the Special Session

This special session aims to facilitate discussions on the critical need for comprehensive groundwater policy and legal and institutional roadmaps that enable long-term groundwater management and socio-economic development in the SADC Region.

The special session intends to bring together policymakers, financiers, researchers, and practitioners from diverse disciplines to discuss ways to create an enabling environment that supports responsible groundwater resource use and protection. The session will showcase good practices from various regions, highlighting the difficulties and potential solutions associated with groundwater governance.

The session will include the following key areas: 

• The significance of adequate policy, legal and regulatory frameworks and political commitment in achieving long-term groundwater management.
• The importance of legal reforms to respond to emerging groundwater and climate change concerns.
• Aligning Sustainable Development Goals 5 on Gender Equality and Goal 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation - gender transformative approaches to ensure sustainable, equitable, and inclusive water groundwater management practices, improved livelihoods, and economic empowerment.
• The immediate and indirect socio-economic consequences of groundwater depletion and contamination, focusing on the possible adverse effects on agriculture, livelihoods, and ecosystem services. 
• The role of capacity-building programmes, research, and innovation advancements in improving groundwater monitoring, data gathering, and sustainable use. 
• Innovative financing of groundwater initiatives for sustainable socio-economic development.

The special session's conclusions will provide insights that will guide SADC-GMI, SADC Water Division, the SADC Member States, and broader stakeholders on developing concrete roadmaps for sustainable groundwater management and socio-economic development, emphasising the need for gender responsive multi-stakeholder engagement, evidence-based decision-making, and long-term planning. The session convenors aspire to mobilise the Member States and the broader stakeholders to strive towards a shared vision of securing groundwater for the well-being and prosperity of current and future generations.

Programme