With: IGAD, Ministers of Water (Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibuoti, South Sudan, Uganda), Regional President of Somali, High level UN officials (UNICEF, UNESCO, FAO) UNDP Resilience Hub, 

Date/Time:  7th May 2024 at 11:00am

Venue:  Somali Region, Ethiopia

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Opening Remarks by the UNDP Resilience Hub for Africa/Africa Borderlands Center Coordinator, Mr Zeynu Ummer (PhD) delivers opening remarks at FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE GROUNDWATER ACCESS FACILITY (GAFA) in the Horn of Africa in Somali Region, Ethiopia.

Your excellency, the regional president of Somali state

Your excellency, the IGAD Executive secretary

Honorable minister of Water and Energy Ethiopia,

Honorable ministers of water from Kenya, Djibuoti, South Sudan, Uganda),

Your excellencies the Ambassadors,

Honorable High level UN officials representing UNICEF, UNESCO, FAO) UNDP Resilience Hub,

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning and welcome again to Jigjiga,

On behalf of the UNDP regional Office, I am delighted to join this remarkable day with you in Jigjia for a historic launch of the GAFA initiative in Africa

Groundbreaking studies have revealed vast reserves of groundwater across Africa. Studies by renowned institutions like the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) have highlighted significant groundwater potential especially in the Horn of Africa. This untapped resource could be the key to sustainability in regions plagued by water scarcity, providing a lifeline for millions.

The Groundwater Access Facility (GaFa) is a transformative effort designed to tap into these extensive groundwater reserves, providing reliable water sources for drinking, agriculture, and industry. 

By focusing on sustainable development and management, GaFa aims to enhance the resilience andprosperity of the Horn of Africa.

To achieve this,  IGAD, Member States, Development Partners and UN efforts of UNICEF and UNDP regional teams have joined together to  identify the added value of joining forces on the Groundwater Access Facility (GAFA) and Climate Resilience Water Solutions for Borderlands Communities, 

The UNDP Resilience Hub for Africa/ABC has committed to build on its joint partnership with the World Bank under the Horn of Africa Groundwater 4 Resilience programme currently being implemented in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. UNDP is coordinating and leading with UNICEF, UNESCO on providing technical assistance to this programme and FAO is supporting the irrigation component in Ethiopia. The technical assistance has three main areas:

1. UNESCO – support to groundwater data and MIS development with IGAD, 
2. UNICEF – drilling market assessment.
3. UNDP – overall coordination and technical assistance to district and woreda implementation,

Through this partnership, World Bank investments will increase the access to groundwater in the Horn of Africa from 7% to 14%. 

The GAFA is designed to build on this and identify, characterize and develop groundwater development for the remaining 80% of the population. For example, UNDP and UNESCO  signed an agreement in 2023 that is financed by UNDP core resources to develop an open source groundwater dataset that can speak to and combine data with the IGAD groundwater MIS. 

UNDP and UNESCO are working closely with the World Bank/IGAD on groundwater data standards, norms and protocols. One of the key objectives of the GAFA is to have a groundwater map and database that shows where groundwater exists, how much groundwater exists and what is the safe yield and quality for using this groundwater for development across the Horn of Africa.

I take this opportunity to kindly call upon partners to support the second objective of the GAFA which is the ongoing pre-feasibility study that has been launched by UNDP and partners. The development of the scope of the pre-feasibility involved all partners in the room and was endorsed formally by IGAD in December 2023. 

The pre-feasibility study is designed to identify 50 viable public, private and PPP water investments for agri-businesses, agro-pastoralists, SMEs and drinking water utilities. 

These investments will prioritise a collaborative approach involving the local communities to plan, develop and implement nature-based solutions that will restore ecosystems. In addition, they will also offer various benefits to local communities through enhanced water availability, food and energy security thus contributing to sustainable livelihoods of the communities across our regions.

The pre-feasibility study required additional financing from partners and UN agencies and will provide a pipeline of $2 billion of groundwater investments for the Horn of Africa. As partners we should build on the the World Bank and IGAD programme and  seek to jointly mobilize additional finance and  join the GAFA initiative.

1. We are grateful  for the  role of IGAD and the Government of Ethiopia in convening with UNDP, two high level dialogues: one in the UNWATER meetings in New York in March 2023 and one in UNON Nairobi in September 2023. 
2. As I conclude, I would like to reaffirm to the partners here present, the UNDPs water teams role in providing technical and political support to the GAFA by also further expanding this work to include its core partners such as ISDB, GEF and GCF.

Last but not least, I express my sincere words of gratitude to the federal government of Ethiopia, the regional president and the people of Somali for their hospitality as well as the organizers and all of you who made it today for this historic event.

All together for Building a Resilient Africa

Thank you