OKACOM : Events

OKACOM establishes a Secretariat…

Sweden commits US$ 2.2 million to the OKACOM Secretariat…

OKACOM re-launches the GEF-EPSMO Project…

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Workshop on Transboundary Natural Resources Management in Maun

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ERP Launches OKACOM website …

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Events

"OKACOM signs agreement to establish the OKACOM Secretariat"

The three member states of OKACOM early this year signed an agreement to legally establish the OKACOM Secretariat. The agreement was singed by the new Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Mr. Ponatshego Kedikilwe on behalf of the Botswana Government, and Dr Nicky Iyambo and Mr. Jose Maria Botelho de Vasconcelos for Namibia and Angola respectively! This agreement puts in place a legal instrument to not only establish the Secretariat as a technical or administrative wing of OKACOM, but also to legally recognize the Okavango Basin Steering Committee (OBSC), which advises the Commission on technical issues.

"OKACOM and the Government of Sweden Sign an agreement to co-finance the OKACOM Secretariat"

In May 2007, OKACOM signed an agreement with the Government of Sweden for a US$ 2.2 million financing towards the set-up of the OKACOM Secretariat office in Maun, Botswana. The funds will also finance the Secretariat's first three of operation. The Swedish Government, through Sida (Swedish International Corporation Agency) has committed to supporting the activities of the Secretariat for ten years, during which Swedish funding will decrease while member state funding increases.

The OKACOM Secretariat will form part of the internal structure of OKACOM and function as an administrative arm of OKACOM to assist with day to day activities of OKACOM, facilitating enhanced information sharing and communication at the global, regional and national levels.

"OKACOM and the Government of Botswana sign an agreement for Botswana to host the Secretariat"

Botswana has been chosen as the host of the office of the Secretariat for the first three years of its operation, after which the Secretariat might relocate to another one of the OKACOM member countries. The "Hosting Agreement" was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Mompati Merafe on behalf of the Botswana Government and the Angolan OKACOM Co-chair, Mr. Mario Armindo Gomes Da Silva on behalf of OKACOM. The Government of Botswana has committed three years of office space to the OKACOM Secretariat as in-kind of contribution towards the operations of the Secretariat. The Secretariat will be headed by an Executive Secretary, an internationally recruited professional who will plan, strategize and manage the Secretariat, develop and lead a team and communicate the goals of OKACOM to a wide range of stakeholders.

Upcoming events

Launch of the OKACOM Secretariat Office in Maun,Botswana

The office of the OKACOM Secretariat will commence operations in October 2008 in Maun, Botswana. The opening of the office will be launched with a ceremony to celebrate one of the greatest achievements of the OKACOM this year.

Re-launch of the GEF-EPSMO Project in Luanda, Angola

The three GEF-EPSMO Project partners before the end of this year re-launch the project and resume the project activities that have been pending since the project was put on hold in late 2005. The decision to re-launch the project was made by the three cooperating partners: OKACOM, UNDP on behalf of GEF as the implementing partner, and FAO as the executing partner. The decision was made late 2006 at a meeting held in Pretoria, South Africa, following an interim evaluation of the project. The project will run until 2010.

Launch of OKACOM projects in Menongue, Angola

In early 2008, the USAID-funded Okavango River Basin Project (IRBM) will launch a number of its community projects in Menongue.Then you an name the projects as currently reflected in the rest of the paragraph.

“Maintenance and hosting of Website supported by the USAID Integrated River Basin Management Project through the OKACOM Interim Secretariat.”

“Design and development of this website supported by the Sida funded Every River Has Its People Project.”