Water and Land Resource Centre, Addis Ababa University held a workshop aimed at reviewing the 2020/21 (2013 E.C.) annual performances and harmonise the 2021/22 (2014) annual plans of the different divisions and projects. While opening the one-day workshop that was held on the 29th July 2021 at Getfam Hotel, Addis Ababa, WLRC Director General Dr. Gete Zeleke underlined that the workshop was deemed important for “looking back and moving ahead!” It was conducted to serve the following purposes:

• To review the Centre’s overall performance during the recent past (2020/21) fiscal year;
• To draw lessons from past performance on success factors, challenges, opportunities and threats experienced and handled by the different divisions and projects;
• To serve as a platform for the staff to share experiences among themselves and to inform the 2021/22 Annual Plans with those lessons and experiences;
• To harmonise the plans of the different divisions and projects so as to maximize success and impact of the planned activities;
• To ensure alignment of each activity to the Centre’s and AAU’s overall missions;
• To ensure each activity is linked to resources (personnel and budget); and
• To ensure efficient use of resources by avoiding unnecessary overlaps of activities planned by the different divisions and projects while at the same time ensuring inclusion of all key activities.
All division heads and project managers presented their annual reports and annual plans. Each presentation was followed by comments and suggestions by the Director General as well as a general discussion by all the participants. Also a draft outline of the Centre’s ten-year Strategic Plan was presented.

In the end, the participants expressed that, beyond serving the fore noted purposes, the event also helped them to know more and better about WLRC and its engagements. The overall performance review revealed an overwhelming success and achievements made during the year despite the hassles rendered by COVID-19 and the intermittent widespread security problems. It was also noted that the plans for the newly started activity year are relevant and demanding strong commitment and engagement of the staff. The workshop was closed with a vote of thanks by Dr. Gete who also reminded the division heads and project managers to accommodate the relevant comments and suggestions in their respective plans and called upon all the staff to continue being vigilant and committed to the causes of WLRC.