Staff Reporter
THE Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO) will officially commence operations in Namibia on 23 May 2026, with the organisation aiming to mobilise up to US$15 billion (about N$245.55 billion) in global water investments by 2030.
The development follows the signing of a headquarters agreement earlier this year to host the organisation’s global headquarters in Windhoek, marking the relocation of the GWPO headquarters from Stockholm, Sweden, to Namibia.
The organisation is also introducing a dual-headquarters model between Windhoek and Cape Town, South Africa, supported by thematic hubs hosted across Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe.
GWPO Chief Executive Officer and Executive Secretary Alex Simalabwi arrived in Windhoek this week with a delegation to finalise arrangements for the transition.
The move positions Namibia as a major global hub for water governance, climate resilience and sustainable water management.
Speaking during the visit, Simalabwi said the decision to relocate the headquarters to the Global South was influenced by the increasing water-related challenges faced by developing countries, including droughts, floods and climate change.
“Because of the leadership that Namibia has demonstrated, both at the presidential level, ministerial level and technical level through NamWater, and also considering that Namibia is one of the driest countries in Africa, the decision was taken at the global board of the organisation to have the headquarters here in Windhoek, Namibia,” he said.
He explained that the intergovernmental headquarters agreement was signed in Windhoek on 11 February 2026 and confirmed that operations will officially begin later this month.
Simalabwi added that Namibia will become the first country in the Global South to host a global intergovernmental water organisation.
“This is going to give Namibia the opportunity to show global leadership around water, making sure that Windhoek becomes the global political and diplomatic capital for water investments,” he said.
According to GWPO, the organisation’s Global Transformation Agenda aims to strengthen implementation and investment-driven water management across more than 180 countries through its international network of partners.
As part of its expansion, GWPO has launched a global recruitment drive targeting leadership, technical, investment, communications and operational professionals.
Simalabwi said the organisation intends to combine the governance standards of intergovernmental institutions with the efficiency and performance culture of the private sector.
“Our Global Transformation Agenda is about building an institution that combines the legitimacy of the public sector with the execution strength of the private sector,” he said.
GWPO is accredited to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) and works globally to support sustainable water management and climate resilience initiatives.
PICTURED: GWPO Chief Executive Officer and Executive Secretary Alex Simalabwi. Photo: linkedin
