IGAD Water Unit · 2026
Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience
— 5th Regional Learning Event
Strengthening Project Impact: Unblocking Bottlenecks to Accelerate Country Implementation
This three-day workshop brings together stakeholders from IGAD member states and international experts to address key challenges for sustainable groundwater management in the Horn of Africa. The event is part of the HoA Groundwater for Resilience Program (HoA GW4R), involving Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and IGAD.
Sessions cover: (a) unblocking implementation bottlenecks at country level; (b) strengthening coordination between regional and country activities; and (c) focused capacity-building aligned with countries' immediate implementation needs.
English–French interpretation provided for the Djibouti team (Phase 2 country)
1
IGAD Regional Day
Monday, May 11, 2026 — Program Progress & Regional Coordination
Opening Ceremony
8:30 AM
Participant Arrival & Registration
9:00–9:20
Welcome Remarks
Opening by IGAD Director of AED, Host Country representative (Republic of Kenya), and World Bank representative.
Session 1 — Progress on the HoA Groundwater Project
9:20–10:20
IGAD Regional Progress Update — Presentation & Q&A
Overview of regional activities, coordination, studies, and initiatives. Brief introduction to Phase 2 direction and Djibouti work plan with questions for Phase 1 countries.
Member States Progress Presentations
10:45–12:15
Country Progress: Ethiopia · Kenya · Somalia
Each country presents 3 TTL-prepared slides on progress, issues, and challenges + 1 IGAD regional slide (coordinated by Igbal). Maximum 5 slides per country.
Session 2 — Regional Cooperation: Joint Groundwater Recharge Study
12:15–12:45
Joint Regional Groundwater Recharge Study (JRS) — Presentation
Overview of Groundwater Recharge Mapping in the Region — methodologies, outcomes, and implications for water management.
12:45–13:15
JRS Q&A & Feedback Session
Open floor for questions and feedback on recharge mapping results. Exploration of additional data available from member states.
Regional Network of Groundwater Centres & GWIS
14:15–15:15
GWIS — Regional Network Roadmap & Data Exchange
Presentation of the Roadmap for Strengthening the Regional Network of Groundwater Centres. Demonstration of how GWIS supports regional collaboration and data exchange between member states.
15:15 (cont.)
Leveraging Regional Knowledge for Better Groundwater Management
Strategies to improve stakeholder engagement and knowledge sharing across the region. Data-sharing experiences from other countries/regional organisations. Recognition of GWIS as a multi-sector system (water + food security). Agreement on next steps for the data-sharing protocol.
Session 3 — Feasibility Studies
15:15–16:00
Aquifer Feasibility Studies — Progress & Findings
10-minute presentations: Dawa Aquifer · Shabelle Aquifer · Northern Basement Aquifer + Q&A (15 min). How findings will feed into GWIS. Discussion on transboundary cooperation mechanisms.
Session 4 — Third Party Monitoring (TPMA)
16:30–17:00
TPMA Field Monitoring Activities & Lessons Learned
Monitoring activities, field results, and lessons from project implementation. Clarification of TPMA role and its benefits for member states.
2
CIWA Knowledge Day
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 — Knowledge Fusion, Service Delivery & Operations
Opening
8:00–8:30
Welcome & Objectives of the Day — Key Lessons from Day 1
Review of IGAD Day highlights. Initial quiz. Setting the stage for the CIWA day.
Session 5 — Knowledge Fusion: Collective Reflection on HoAGW4R
8:30–10:00
CIWA Report Validation — Group Work on Pillars
Group work on each CIWA pillar (Regional, Sustainability, Resilience) and Procurement. Pillar leads present key findings and gaps. Country and Bank teams spread across pillars.
Session 6 — Sustainable Service Delivery & O&M Models
10:00–11:20
Country Experiences with O&M Models: What Is Working, What Is Not
Ethiopia: Emerging service delivery model from completed O&M workshops. Somalia: Community-based, private, and PPP models (Dhobley model). Kenya: Results-based O&M pilots with counties.
Strategic Solutions for Long-Term Service Delivery
11:35–12:35
Climate Resilience, Water Quality & Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)
TPMA review of long-term service issues. Nature-Based Solutions for groundwater conservation. Climate-resilient design. Water quality risk management and household-level desalination.
Session 7 — Poster Session: Data Systems & MIS Synergies
12:35–13:00
GWIS / MIS Demo Booth — Synergies Across Data Systems
MIS booth showcasing IGAD GWIS, regional MIS, and country GWIS. Sprint talks (5 min each) + live demo to facilitate discussion on synergies between country-level, project-level, and regional data systems.
Session 8 — Operational Clinic: Procurement & Contract Management
14:00–15:30
Procurement Clinic
Procurement officer presentation (20 min) + TPMA key country gaps (15 min) + open Q&A (40 min) + country questions on implementation challenges + report back (15 min).
15:35–16:35
Contract Management — FIDIC Protocols & Case Study Workshop
Opening by James (Kenya experience). Technical presentation by Joffrey. Case study contract analysis workshop. Q&A on FIDIC protocols and dispute resolution in large contracts.
Reflection & Closing
16:35–17:30
Key Takeaways, Learning Quiz & Feedback Survey
Country rapporteurs share key reflections. Quiz to test learning outcomes. Feedback survey on event organisation. Setting the scene for Training Day.
3
Training Day
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 — E&S, Technical Groundwater, Procurement Deep-Dives
Registration
8:30–9:00
Participant Arrival & Registration
Training Session 1 — Environmental & Social (E&S) Critical Issues
9:00–11:30
E&S Critical Issues for Groundwater Projects — Plenary + Breakout Rooms
TPMA overview of key E&S recommendations and good practices. Contractor compliance (ESS2, 4, 5, 7, 10). Breakout rooms per country (1 TPMA + 1 WB E&S specialist each) to discuss compliance issues, process gaps, and capacity plans. Summary action plans from PIU rapporteurs.
Training Session 2 — Technical Series: GW Modelling, Design & Quality Control
12:30–15:45
Groundwater Technical Training — 4 Modules
Module 1 (45 min): AI-leveraged test pumping and groundwater modelling for feasibility studies — Seifu
Module 2 (45 min): Water supply designs (pumps, power, pipelines) — Joffrey
Module 3 (45 min): Water quality assessment for data-driven site selection and system design — Charles Osano & Seifu
Module 4 (1 hr): Supervision, quality control, and contract management at drilling and work sites — Joffrey
Module 2 (45 min): Water supply designs (pumps, power, pipelines) — Joffrey
Module 3 (45 min): Water quality assessment for data-driven site selection and system design — Charles Osano & Seifu
Module 4 (1 hr): Supervision, quality control, and contract management at drilling and work sites — Joffrey
Training Session 3 — Follow-Up: Procurement & FM Deep-Dive
16:00–17:00
Deep Dive on Key Issues from Day 2 Discussions
TPMA-hosted follow-up sessions on topics raised during the event. Default focus: financial management and procurement issues. Topics confirmed at the end of Day 2.