The Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) successfully hosted its Second Quarter Technical Forum on 15th July 2026 at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka.
Held under the theme, โ€œLeveraging Stakeholder Coordination and Engagement for Sustainable Water Resources Management,โ€ the forum brought together representatives from Government institutions, academia, cooperating partners, development agencies, the private sector, civil society organisations, researchers, and water sector practitioners.
The forum provided a platform for stakeholders to strengthen collaboration, exchange knowledge, and explore practical approaches towards sustainable water resources management, reaffirming the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships in safeguarding Zambiaโ€™s water resources.
Speaking when she officially opened the forum, WARMA Director General, Ms. Misozi Ngulube, underscored the importance of stakeholder coordination and engagement in addressing the growing challenges facing Zambiaโ€™s water resources, including climate change, environmental degradation, increasing water demand, and competing water uses.
Ms. Ngulube emphasized that sustainable water resources management is not the responsibility of a single institution, but a shared responsibility that requires strong partnerships, effective coordination, scientific research, innovation, and meaningful stakeholder engagement.
She further noted that while sound policies, regulations, and technical knowledge remain essential, sustainable water management can only be achieved when institutions and stakeholders work together, share knowledge, align priorities, and collectively develop practical solutions that respond to challenges on the ground.
The Director General also acknowledged the continued collaboration between WARMA and the University of Zambia Integrated Water Resources Management Centre under the O.R. Tambo African Research Chairs Initiative (ORTARChI), describing the partnership as a testament to the importance of research, innovation, and evidence-based decision-making in strengthening water governance in Zambia.
The forum featured technical presentations covering drought risk management, stakeholder engagement, ecosystem services, spatial distribution of water users, habitat monitoring through remote sensing, groundwater systems, youth participation in water resources management, hydrogeological modelling, machine learning applications, climate change, and water accounting in the Zambezi River Basin.
WARMA remains committed to providing platforms such as the Quarterly Technical Forum to promote technical dialogue, strengthen partnerships, encourage knowledge sharing, and advance evidence-based approaches to the sustainable management, development, and protection of Zambiaโ€™s water resources.