Side-Event: Solving the Rubik’s cube. Multi-level Nexus governance for ensuring stability and sustainability in shared waters // World Water Forum

24th March 2022 I 10 - 11:30 am GMT
Location: Diamniado, Abdou DIOUF International Conference Centre, Dakar Arena, the Exhibition Centre HALL D-35 (Transboundary Water Pavilion)

Session description

No infrastructure planning without trade-offs. Reaching Water, Energy or Food Security within transboundary basins often impacts a variety of actors, political scales, and sectors. Transboundary Nexus governance can support decision making on integrated natural resources project and investment decisions within transboundary basins. Like a Rubik’s cube, such planning processes imply three different dimensions:

• Actors: public, private, civil society
• Scales : International, National, Sub-National
• Cross-sectorial: Water, Energy, Food

Decision-making and political steering in such multi-level governance structures can be laborious. However, a holistic and participatory approach fosters regional peace and security. Basin organizations (BOs) or Regional Economic Communities (RECs) provide an institutional setting for multi-level Nexus governance.

During this session, selected organizations (BOs and/or RECs) from different regions present their institutional structures and provide entry points for multi-level nexus governance approaches. Selected case studies illustrate the institutional embeddedness and necessary steps within nexus planning. During a discussion, challenges, and opportunities of a successful nexus roll-out will be exchanged. During the session, Rubik’s cubes will be distributed among the participants. The first to resolve one, gets a price.

Lead questions

1. What are the institutional preconditions for a Nexus governance framework in your region?
2. How can a nexus governance framework increase water, energy and food security during the planning and implementation of projects and investment decisions?
3. How can (Nexus) decision-making on a transboundary/regional scale successfully be supported? What type of decision-support tools/methods are needed to support the integration of Nexus elements in project and policy planning?

Agenda

Welcome and opening speeches (tbc)

Presentation of the Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme, Irene Sander (GIZ, Global Nexus Secretariat)

Discussion round with panelists / Moderator: Robert Kranefeld (GIZ Regional Coordinator NRD Niger Basin)

Panelists:

• Niger Basin Authority: Niandou Mounkaila (Technical Director)
• League of Arab States: Ambassador Shahira Wahbi (Chief Natural Resources Sustainability, Partnerships & DRR)
• Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (per video input): Silvia L. Saravia Matus (Economic Affairs Officer, Water & Energy Unit)
• Southern African Development Community: Dr. Dumsani Mndzebele (Programme Officer - Water, Directorate of Infrastructure)
• Central Asia / via CAREC: tbc

More information

• Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme
• NRD_factsheet_GENERAL_2021-11-29-053930_vsvg.pdf (water-energy-food.org)
• Nexus News // Water and Energy Ministers Meeting approves the SADC WEF-Nexus Governance Framework developed by GWPSA
• Guía metodológica: diseño de acciones con enfoque del Nexo entre agua, energía y alimentación para países de América Latina y el Caribe (water-energy-food.org)
• Discussion Paper // Governance of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus for an Integrated Implementation of the 2030 Agenda
• Nexus Blog // Review of the second online webinar on WEF Nexus solutions: Cooperation across borders and sectors
• Nexus Blog // “Water, Energy and Food for Thought” - Launch of NRDs new webinar series
• World Water Forum // Dakar 2022