THE three-day NatuReS II Regional Learning Exchange 2026 got underway yesterday at the East London Industrial Development Zone with powerful conceptual and practical insights.
Delegates from South Africa, Ethiopia, Zambia, and Tanzania — including representatives from government, industry, water utilities, academia, civil society, and development institutions –engaged in thought-provoking presentations, panel discussions, and interactive group workshops, sparking rich dialogue on water security, climate resilience, and the future of sustainable industrial development across Africa.
Hosted by the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) through the Natural Resources Stewardship Programme II (NatuReS II), the three-day regional exchange is taking place from 24 – 26 February 2026 at the ELIDZ Conference Centre.
The theme for the event is “From Source to Industry: Stewardship Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships for Socio-Ecological Transformation and Water-Smart Industrial Futures.”
In her opening address, Ayanda Ramncwana, ELIDZ chief operations officer said: “The theme is not aspirational for us — it reflects who we are today and the future we are deliberately building. It speaks to our long-standing commitment to environmentally responsible industrialisation and our intentional transition toward a water-smart, eco-industrial model grounded in science, governance, and partnership.”
Learning from practical solutions, participants experienced guided site visits to witness innovation in action, including the ELIDZ Science and Technology Park (STP) CAS Laboratory, as well as the ELIDZ Seawater Extraction Facility and Wastewater Pump Station. These facilities showcase practical, on-the-ground solutions for water stewardship in industrial zones.
The exchange is exploring how collaborative partnerships between industry, government and communities can respond to growing climate pressures and water scarcity challenges affecting industrial regions across the continent.
Topics include:
- High-level discussions on the link between water resilience and industrial competitiveness
- African case studies demonstrating multi-stakeholder stewardship partnerships
- Industry dialogue on the business case for water stewardship
Using ELIDZ as a working case study for water stewardship in an industrial context, Ramncwana said the ELIDZ is intentionally positioned as an Eco-Industrial Park — one where economic growth, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion are integrated, rather than treated as competing priorities.”
Emphasising the importance of water as a strategy for the zone, she said that a disruption in water supply does not merely slow production — it can bring an entire supply chain to a halt, including those linked to global export markets.
She further noted how water stewardship has become a central determinant of investor confidence in the ESG era, outlining how this is playing out across various sectors, including agro-processing, aquaculture, automotive, renewable energy and textiles.
Ramncwana said that the work of the Natural Resources Stewardship Programme II recognises a fundamental reality: no single actor can secure water resilience alone.
“Stewardship-based, multi-stakeholder partnerships create the platform for shared risk recognition, co-investment, coordinated governance, and system-level solutions. That is why this exchange is so important. It moves us from isolated efficiency to collective resilience.
