Press release: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water & Land Reform, 12 February 2025
The Government of the Republic of Namibia has signed a Headquarters Agreement with the Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO), officially establishing the GWPO Secretariat in Windhoek.
The agreement was signed by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, and confirms Namibia’s role as host country to one of the world’s leading intergovernmental organisations working on water security, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
The Global Water Partnership Organisation is an international organization with a global network of over 2800 partners in more than 180 countries, that supports countries to manage water resources sustainably. With over two decades of track record of working with governments and partners worldwide to promote Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), GWPO’s new strategy focuses on supporting countries in the financing, governance, and management of water resources for sustainable, climate resilient, and equitable development towards a water secure world.
The hosting of the Global Water Partnership Organisation Secretariat in Windhoek will strengthen the role of Namibia as a strategic platform for the preparation, structuring and mobilisation of large-scale water and climate-resilient investment globally in partnership with governments, development partners and the private sector, in support of sustainable growth and climate resilience.
As the primary seat of the new GWPO dual-headquarters model, as provided for under the Headquarters Agreement, Namibia will anchor a new globally connected water investment and cooperation architecture under the Global Water Partnership Organisation, supporting the coordinated origination, preparation and delivery of priority water and climate investments and will work closely with GWPO’s emerging financial structuring and mobilization Global Water Investment Platform that was launched in Cape Town under the G20 Presidency of South Africa.
Hosting the GWPO Secretariat positions Namibia as a regional and global hub for water governance, investment preparation and capital mobilization at scale particularly from the perspective of the Global South.
Key benefits include increased international visibility, access to global expertise and partnerships, capacity development for national institutions, and economic and diplomatic gains.
Locating the GWPO Secretariat in Namibia highlights the importance of addressing global water challenges from water-scarce and climate-vulnerable regions, reinforcing the need for inclusive and locally informed solutions.
The Headquarters Agreement marks an important milestone in Namibia’s leadership in water diplomacy and climate resilience, strengthening the country’s contribution to regional and global efforts to ensure water security for present and future generations.
