Tuesday, June 20, 2023 — The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and The Geneva Institute for Water, Environment and Health (GIWEH) have announced plans to collaborate on a number of initiatives to address water and environmental challenges in the Eastern Caribbean region. The collaboration was announced following a meeting between Dr. Nidal Salim, CEO of GIWEH, and Ambassador Colin Murdoch, Permanent Observer for the OECS to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva on June 12, 2023.
GIWEH is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable development and effective water resource management. In the main, the meeting focused on the interconnections between water, environment, and health, as well as the importance of addressing climate change, climate change, pollution and water scarcity. Ambassador Colin Murdoch emphasized the significance of addressing climate change and its impact on the region, noting the growing frequency of powerful storms and hurricanes.
The meeting explored potential areas of collaboration, such as:
- Training and capacity building: GIWEH will work with universities in the Eastern Caribbean region including the UWI (Five Islands Campus) in Antigua and St. George’s University in Grenada to develop comprehensive training programs, workshops, and seminars on water and environmental management. This will help to build a skilled workforce in the region and equip individuals and organizations with the knowledge and skills they need to address water and environmental challenges.
- Research and Networking: The sharing of research findings and innovative ideas between GIWEH and the OECS region would facilitate the implementation of effective solutions and both parties can contribute to the collective knowledge and promote sustainable water management, environmental protection, and public health. This will help to improve the understanding of water-related challenges and develop more effective ways to manage water resources.
- Policy and advocacy: OECS and GIWEH will work together to advocate for policies that support sustainable water management and environmental protection. This will help to ensure that the Eastern Caribbean region is better prepared to address the challenges of climate change and other environmental threats.
Moving forward, OECS and GIWEH are commited to collaborating and cooperating as well as promoting mutual understanding in their common pursuit of social, economic, and environmental progress.
