The objective of this assignment is to conduct a desktop study to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the planning and implementation of WASH RDI and capacity-building activities in SADC and EU Member States. The study will first analyze the broader impact at both the SADC and EU levels. Based on this, five SADC countries (including South Africa) and five EU countries will be selected for a deeper investigation, focusing on those that have shown resilience and successfully adapted to continue RDI and capacity-building efforts during the pandemic.
The study will categorize both positive and negative impacts, and virtual interviews with key stakeholders will be conducted to gather additional insights and validate the findings. This will support joint learning and the sharing of best practices in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
Under the Project, WE&B successfully developed/delivered the following services:
• Conducted an overview of the impact of COVID-19 on the EU WASH RDI sectors and capacity-building activities.
• Developed a comprehensive database of key SADC and EU stakeholders, categorizing them based on the level of impact the pandemic had on their WASH RDI and capacity-building planning and implementation (ranging from least to most affected). We conducted an overview of the effects of COVID-19 on the EU WASH RDI sectors and capacity building activities. We developed a database of the key SADC and EU stakeholders and further clustered them according to the level of COVID-19 pandemic impact (least to most affected) on their WASH RDI and capacity building planning and implementation of activities.
We began by conducting an in-depth analysis of the top 5 EU countries, identified as the most resilient, agile, and responsive in managing COVID-19’s impact. This selection was based on the broad analysis conducted earlier.
•Further analyzed how these leading EU countries adapted their strategies, reprioritized funding, and adjusted their planning and implementation of WASH RDI and capacity-building activities to maintain resilience during the pandemic.
•Developed and administered a questionnaire and conducted interviews with a wider audience in the EU water sector, gathering and analyzing the information for presentation in 3 workshops.
•Finally, we identified key policy shifts and the enabling environment needed to enhance the resilience of SADC WASH RDI and capacity-building efforts in preparation for future pandemics and post-COVID-19 recovery.
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