Summary/Goals: The USACE Institute of Water Resources and SAHRA have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote the creation of an International Center for Integrated Water Resources Management (ICIWaRM) that will create a virtual teaching and research center with academic institutions, government agencies and NGOs for integrated water resources management, interdisciplinary scientific research, and capacity-building/development for developing and emerging countries; and post-disaster/conflict nations and regions. Some of the topics in which the Center will be involved include: integrated water resources management and sustainable development in arid and semi-arid zones, infrastructure development and related engineering design standards and procedures, capacity building, development and training, water policy, governance and institutional aspects, water security, including within the context of the Millennium Development Goals. The new Center will also be working with multilateral organizations such as the UNESCO International Hydrology Program.
Activities and outcomes during past year:
The Center proposal has been adopted by the UNESCO National Committee and has been submitted to the Division of Water Resources of UNESCO. It is expected that the approval process by several levels of UNESCO may take approximately one year since submission
Plans for the upcoming year:
Establishment of a research associate position in SAHRA (supported by USACE IWR) to help the coordination and training. Development of a website
