The Water, Energy & Food Security Resource Platform is an independent information and facilitating platform developed within the framework of the Global Programme „Nexus Regional Dialogues”, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH jointly funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Union.

We are working towards mainstreaming the Nexus dialogue on water, energy and food security in high-level regional policy dialogues, investment decisions and within global development policy.

Our Programme implements the Nexus Regional Dialogues, which support regional stakeholders to operationalize the WEF Nexus concept into policy recommendations and pilot projects.

History
2010

The WEF Nexus approach has moved up the international agenda after first being promoted at international policy-making events in 2010.

2011

The Bonn 2011 Nexus Conference organised by the German Government presented evidence on how a WEF Nexus approach can enhance water, energy and food security by increasing efficiency, reducing trade-offs and building synergies while improving governance across the different sectors.

2014

Starting in 2014, GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development started to implement Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme activities.

2016 — 2020

The Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme Phase I: Resulted from international efforts to operationalise the Nexus approach. The programme has been jointly financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. It is designed to stimulate the five Nexus Regional Dialogues (NRDs) involving various stakeholders, including national and regional policy makers, the private sector, academia and civil society.

2020 — 2023

The Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme Phase II: Still ongoing, the main objectives of the second phase are:

  • To institutionalise the WEF Nexus approach in national and regional governance structures and investment decisions in the Regions
  • Showcase the WEF Nexus value-added with demonstration projects in the Regions
  • Promote exchange and information dissemination through the Knowledge Hub

Team
Irene Sander
Irene Sander
Head of Project

Irene is the head of the Nexus Regional Dialogues (NRD) Programme. She joined the NRD Programme in December 2020 as Head of the Global Nexus Secretariat and MENA portfolio lead, which is based at GIZ Headquarters in Germany. The NRD Programme is co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and implemented by GIZ, Global Water Partnerships - Southern Africa as well as the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation Programme.

In this position, she actively supports, amongst others, impact assessments of Water Energy Food Nexus projects to generate both economic and non-economic evidence in favor of integrated solutions for sustainable natural resources management. Prior to this, she was based in Jordan and Tunisia from 2009-2020, where she worked as a GIZ advisor and World Bank consultant on issues ranging from participatory groundwater management in Jordan, decentralized wastewater treatment and reuse MENA-wide and private sector development in Tunisia. She holds a M.A. in Political Sciences from Sciences Po Paris and the University of Bath.

Eleonora Hoffman
Eleonora Hoffmann
Global Nexus Secretariat - Human Capacity Development

Eleonora has been working in the Global Nexus Secretariat since May 2022. She responsible for Human Capacity Development (HCD) as well as actively supporting the Global Nexus Secretariat.

Before joining the Secretariat, she has been, among other things, an advisor for strategic and technical policy advice and support to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and a specialist in knowledge management at GIZ. Prior to that, she worked for Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer to advise on the reform of the United Nations development system, and as a project assistant at the Global Policy Forum (GPF), mainly researching the role of private actors in international organisations, climate negotiations, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

She holds a Master's degree in International Relations and Development Policy and is currently studying a part-time Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies. She fluent in both English and German.

Cecilia Vey
Cecilia Vey
Global Nexus Secretariat - Communications

Cecilia joined the Nexus team in June 2022 and is currently working as part of the Global Nexus Secretariat within the Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme with a focus on communications and outreach. She is responsible for the Nexus Resource Platform, ensuring its operation and maintenance as well as its continued development and growth. She ensures Nexus networking activities, promotes the ongoing progress of the project and its success stories, builds cooperation with Nexus-based programmes, manages and creates contributions to all Nexus social media channels and the platform.

Cecilia has previously worked as a marketing and communications specialist in a Geopolitical analysis firm in the USA. She has also worked as a practising nurse in a London NHS hospital. She holds a BSc. in Adult Nursing from London and a Master’s in European Studies and International Relations from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands. She is a native speaker of both English and French and is based in Bonn, Germany.

Jakob Seidler
Jakob Seidler
Advisor Global Nexus Secretariat

Jakob has been working with the Nexus team since 2020. His main tasks include policy advice to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development on the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus as well as support of the Frexus project. Prior to this position, he has been working with the GIZ sector programme Sustainable Water Policy. Jakob has a background in political science as well as integrated natural resource management. His practical experiences include research on social aspects of water supply management in Jordan as well as sustainability efforts of water utilities (Berliner Wasserbetriebe).

Hannah Mosleh bw
Hannah Mosleh
Advisor on the Nexus between Water, Rural Development and Food Security

Hannah has been working with the Nexus Team since August 2022. Her role is to advise the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development on the Nexus between Water, Rural Development and Food Security.

Before joining the Nexus Team, she worked as a Policy Officer in the international division at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, where she was responsible for the cooperation with Eastern Europe, Central- and Western Asia. Prior to that, she has worked as an Advisor for the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), where she worked on Water Resource Management and Transboundary Water Management in Iran and Afghanistan.

She holds a Master’s degree in International Security from Sciences Po Paris with a regional focus on Western Asia. Hannah is fluent in German, French and English and has a very good knowledge of Persian and Arabic.

Antonio Levy Berstein
Antonio Levy Berstein
Regional Coordinator, Latin America and the Caribbean

Antonio is the Regional Coordinator for the Nexus Dialogue in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Antonio has over twenty years of experience in international cooperation, especially in the fields of renewable energy and climate change mitigation as well as project finance, management, evaluations and finance. He holds a Master´s Degree in Business Adminisatration (MBA) from the University of Chile and Tulane University. Antonio is native bilingual English and Spanish and is based in Santiago, Chile.

Ghada Amin
Ghada Amin
Technical Advisor, MENA

Ghada joined the Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme in June 2022 and is currently working as Technical Advisor for the Nexus Regional Dialogue Programme in the MENA Region. She supports the MENA Regional Coordinator with the smooth implementation of WEF Nexus activities within the region, ensures liaison with the League of Arab States) LAS and other relevant partners in the region. She has 14 years of professional experience in Environmental Consulting and Public-Private Sector Partnerships.

Ghada is fluent in Arabic and English, has a background in Chemical Engineering and holds a Master’s Degree in Water-Energy-Food Nexus Implementation from the Center for Sustainable Development (School of Sciences and Engineering from the American University in Cairo.

Robert Kranefeld
Robert Kranefeld
Regional Coordinator, Niger Basin

Robert is the Regional Nexus Coordinator in the Niger Basin in support of the Niger Basin Authority, based in Niamey, Niger. The Basin comprises 9 countries in West Africa and is home to more than 160 million people. Previously, he worked as a political consultant with GIZ to the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development on the topic of water and climate change with a particular focus on climate change adaptation and resilience.

He studied in Germany, France and Canada and holds a M.A. in Geographies of Globalisation from the University of Frankfurt and a B.Sc. in Geography from the University in Münster (both Germany). Robert is fluent in French and English and native in German. His regional focus is East- and particularly West-Africa, while he is based in Cologne, Germany.

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Aïchatou Maïgari
Technical Nexus Expert, Niger Basin

Aïchatou Maïgari is a specialist in environmental management environment, climate change, local development in the sustainable management of natural resources, particularly water resources in the Niger basin, the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus Food Security Nexus and the management of conflicts related to natural resources. She has joined the Nexus team in February 2023 and as Technical Nexus Expert to the Niger Basin Nexus Dialogue.

She has a Master II in Environmental Management from Senghor University in Alexandria, an Engineering degree in Water and Forestry from the Rural Polytechnic Institute of Training and Applied Research (IPR/IFRA) of Katibougou (Bamako) and a DEUG in Life Sciences from the Faculty of Science and Technique (FAST) of the University of Bamako.

She has 10 years of experience in technical support, monitoring and evaluation of projects and programs as well as project management, including 6 years in the technical support of users of natural resources in the Niger basin. She has participated in the empowerment of of women in the context of climate resilience through the Nexus water-energy-food security project. She has carried out several consultations in the framework of sustainable management of natural resources.

Team Aksulu
Aksulu Kushanova
Investment Project Specialist, Central Asia

Ms. Aksulu Kushanova works as an Investment Project Specialist at the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) and provides analytical support to the Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme in Central Asia (CA). Specifically, she leads the implementation of the Nexus demonstration projects across 5 CA countries and Nexus related analytical deliverables. Previously, Ms. Kushanova has worked for over ten years at the World Bank as an energy consultant. Her primary focus was on transmission and generation of energy, district heating, renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and carbon market. She participated in numerous World Bank research endeavours: “Stuck in Transition: Reform Experiences and Challenges Ahead in the Kazakhstan Power Sector” and "Energy Efficiency Transformation in Astana and Almaty”. Under the UN initiative “Sustainable Energy for All” Ms. Kushanova conducted an analysis of all energy aspects of Kazakhstan for the global policy scorecard that grades more than one hundred countries (RISE). Ms Kushanova holds a bachelor's degree from the Kazakh University in International Relations and World Languages named after Abylai Khan and a master's degree in Public Administration from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (Singapore).

Ludmilla
Ludmilla Kiktenko
Regional Coordinator, Central Asia

Ms. Ludmilla Kiktenko serves as the Regional Coordinator for the Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme in Central Asia (CA) and the Manager of Environmental Management Programme of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC). She leads the implementation of the EU-funded project “Nexus Dialogue in Central Asia” and supervises the project implementation progress in 5 CA countries.

She has more than 20 years of professional experience in 5 CA countries in designing and implementation of the national and regional development projects. She serves as a Member of Central Asian intergovernmental working groups to develop interstate programs, such as the fourth edition of the Aral Sea Basin Programme, the Regional Environmental Programme for Sustainable Development and others. Prior to joining CAREC, Ms. Kiktenko gained substantial experiences working in the local NGOs. She has an MS degree in economics and business administration.

Shamiso kumbirai 300x300 bw 28 1 2021
Shamiso Kumbirai
SDG Water Investments Officer, Southern Africa

Ms. Kumbirai is a Development Professional and Water Engineer with skills and experience in bulk water supply, hydropower engineering and water resources management (WRM) across Africa. She has private sector and inter-governmental experience. Her experience includes the design and construction management of water infrastructure, the development of programs in WRM and the water-energy-food security nexus, technical facilitation of multi-stakeholder dialogues, stakeholder coordination and client relationship management. Shamiso holds an Undergraduate and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cape Town.

Andrew
Andrew Takawira
Senior Technical Advisor, Southern Africa

Andrew started his career working in water and environmental engineering consultancy and then expanded his scope of work into the development sector - working for IUCN and GWP. Experienced in water resources management and development, working in a number of countries in Africa and over the years, he has been involved in water resources planning at national and regional level. He is currently the Senior Technical Advisor for GWP Africa Coordination Unit, providing technical leadership in the implementation of projects which manage the risk of climate change to development in Africa. He also provides expertise in investment planning, project development and financing. Andrew’s experience in the in the development sector has allowed him to engage with policymakers, development finance institutions, international cooperating partners, private sector, government practitioners and civil society at large.

Kidanemariam Jembere Tiruneh
Kidanemariam Jembere Tiruneh
Technical Advisor, Southern Africa

Kidanemariam Jembere Tiruneh has extensive experience in the areas of water and natural resources management and environmental protection. He has experience in working for, and with, governments, NGOs and donor organizations. Kidanemariam is the Technical Advisor for Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP), providing technical support to the programme’s implementation in the Eastern and Southern African regions. He is also managing the EU-supported project on Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the SADC region. He is involved in capacity building programmes in Africa around Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), Climate Change Adaptation, Conflict resolution and Negotiation Skills. Previously Kidane worked as Regional Program Manager for GWP Eastern Africa for over four years. He has also worked as Environment Advisor at the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the Canadian International Development Cooperation (CIDA) in Ethiopia. Kidane has written and contributed to different publications including Training Manual for Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills in IWRM, Case studies on IWRM implementation, and on building community and ecosystems resilience. Kidanemariam is a graduate (M.Sc.) of UNESCO-IHE, Delft, The Netherlands in Environmental Science and Technology.

Annah Ndeketeya
Annah Ndeketeya
Programme Officer, Southern Africa

Annah works as a Programme Officer at GWPSA and supports the implementation of the SADC WEF Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme. Her expertise and interests include IWRM, agricultural water management, circular economy, sustainable water supply and sanitation. Her previous experience include research in irrigation and water engineering at various universities and circular economy at IWMI; working in private sector where she mainly supported irrigation water management projects in the UAE and later expanded into the development sector where she supported the implementation of water resources management projects in Africa, at the World Bank. She holds a MSc degree in International Land and Water Management from Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

Alexandre Mesnil
Alexandre Mesnil
Regional Coordinator, FREXUS

Alexandre is in charge of the Frexus Project. He has worked for the last 10 years abroad in the water sector in the MENA region for GIZ and for the French Cooperation. Before he also worked for different French NGOs in France and in Africa, as representative of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France in Mauritania and also for the private sector in France. His areas of experience entail policy advice, organizational development, participatory approach, capacity development as well as project management. He has studied Geography at the University of Paris Sorbonne in Paris, France. Alexandre is based in Eschborn, Germany and regularly travels to the Sahel region.

Davidd
David Djiyode Mbernodji
Technical Advisor, FREXUS

David joined the Nexus team in April 2021 and is currently working as the technical advisor for the Frexus project in Chad, where he is based. He is responsible for the implementation of the project in the Kanem province intervention area. His expertise lies in promoting peaceful reconciliation, interreligious dialogue and community development.

He previously worked as a project manager of NGO ARDEK in Mao, Chad in 2020, within the framework of the RESI-SCHOOL project financed by the World Food Program. Between 2017 and 2019, he worked as the head of the CESADEP project under the Reinforcement of Resilience and Pacific Cohabitation Project in Chad. He also gained experience as the technical officer of the Support Project for Conflict Prevention and Peaceful Co-existence in Chad from 2015 to 2016, under the umbrella of GIZ Chad. David holds a Master’s degree in Territory Planning and Development Planning from Institut de Développement Economique et Social, and acquired a Certificate of Pastoral Studies, Interreligious Dialogue within the framework of Institut Formation Islamo-Chrétienne in Bamako, Mali.

Broulaye
Broulaye Kone
Technical Advisor FREXUS

Mr. Kone recently joined the Nexus Team as the Technical Advisor in Mali as part of the Frexus Project: Improving security and resilience to climate change in fragile contexts through the WEF Nexus. He is an agricultural engineer, specialised in agroforestry and has worked on numerous research topics related to climate change at the Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) based in Mali.

From 2017 to 2019, he led the activities of the SmAT-Scaling project, which was based on the sustainable management of natural resources and the fight against poverty in a context of climate change and variability, financed by the US government through USAID and implemented by CRS (Catholic Relief Service) in the Mopti, Timbuktu and Sikasso regions. He also participated in the elaboration of local conventions for the management of natural resources and pastoral schemes, with an emphasis on inter-stakeholder dialogue in southern Mali (Yanfolila circle, Sikasso region).

Boko Boubacar
Abdou Boko Boubacar
Technical Advisor, FREXUS

Dr. Boubacar is a water and climate change expert currently working as a technical advisor to the Frexus project at GIZ which he joined in 2021. Prior to GIZ, he was an Environmental/safety program coordinator at the US Embassy of Niger from 2020 to 2021. He also served as the Environmental and water resources Expert at SahelConsulting group from 2015 to 2020 where he performed projects for multi-national clients in water resources evaluation, climate change impacts as well as sites assessments.

Dr. Boubacar holds a PhD in climate change and water resources from the West African Science Service for Climate Change and Adapted Land Use WASCAL GRP/BENIN of the Université of Abomey Calavi, Benin. He holds a Master’s degree in groundwater resource management from Abdou Moumouni University, and a Master degree in Climate Change and Sustainable Development from AGRHYMET Regional Center of Niamey. He was a fellowship of USAID West African Water Supply Sanitation and Hygiene.

Kristin Herbomel
Kristine Herbomel
Regional Coordinator, Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River

Kristine Herbomel is responsible for the project, Support to the Integrated Management of Water Resources of Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River. The project goal is to improve the hydrological and operational management of Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River while pursuing an integrated and Nexus-based approach. Previously, Kristine worked as a civil servant for the United States Government, where she managed international capacity building programs on water resources management and advised officials on international water policy. She has an M.A. in Global Environmental Policy from American University and a B.A. in International Relations and Global Business from the University of Southern California. Kristine is based in Eschborn, Germany.

Desire Sengoga
Desire Sengoga
Regional Advisor, Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River

Desire is currently working as regional Advisor for transboundary water management on the EU/BMZ co-funded project to “Support to the Integrated Management of Water Resources of Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River basin’’ shared with Rwanda, Burundi and DRC. He co-manages contracts ranging from consultancy studies, communication and visibility, grants for local and international NGOs implementing pilots’ projects, organizing training and capacity development workshops across the region. In addition to this he regularly takes part in meetings and consultations with local and international institutions around the topic of transboundary water resources management using the WEF Nexus approach.

His area of expertise is engineering; he holds a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Rwanda and a Master’s degree in Water sanitation and Health Engineering from The University of Leeds, UK and a 2018 Chevening Scholar. Desire is from Kigali, Rwanda and is fluent in English and French.

Manasse Lwimo Mukenge
Manassé Lwimo Mukenge
Technical Advisor, Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River

Manassé is currelty working on the implementation of the WEF Nexus approach in the Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River Basin, based in Bukavu with supporting contacts in Kinshasa and Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo), but also moving around the Great Lakes region (Rwanda and Burundi). He has more than 10 years of experience in the Environmental Compliance, Water and Wetlands management which enables him to assume an advisory role for stakeholders in the project and the mutualization of efforts for transboundary water management and mitigation policies in the context of climate change. To Manassé, good water resources management is not only a profession but a passion.

Manassé is from the DR Congo, is fluent in French, English and Swahili and holds a master's degree in Socio-Economics of Environment from the Catholic University of Louvain and the University of Liege (Belgium).

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