[April 30, 2026 – Bishoftu] Implementers of and partners in the BRIGHT Project, namely the Water and Land Resource Center (WLRC), the Ministry of Water and Energy including the Awash Basin Administration Office, convened a catchment-level consultative meeting in Bishoftu town and facilitated the formal establishment of a Wedecha Dam Administration Steering Committee. .
The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including focal persons from the North and East Shoa Zonal Irrigation Offices, representatives from the woredas in the catchment , and members of various Irrigation Water Users Associations (IWUAs).
The event was opened by Dr. Aday, Director of the Climate Risk Management Division at WLRC, who emphasized the importance of coordinated institutional arrangements in addressing increasing water resource pressures.
Technical sessions followed, featuring expert presentations that highlighted the current challenges in water resource management within the Wedecha catchment. These presentations also outlined the strategic need for establishing a centralized steering committee to improve coordination, enhance decision-making, and promote the efficient and equitable use of water resources.
A key component of the meeting was a series of intensive breakout sessions, where participants engaged in detailed discussions on the proposed structure and governance framework of the Steering Committee. These sessions enabled stakeholders to contribute practical insights and recommendations, culminating in the development of a clear roadmap for the committee’s formal establishment.
