Transboundary Waters Governance for Sustainable Development and Blue Peace

1. At regional level: basin organizations and/or regional economic commissions
2. At national level: government institutions and agencies
3. At local level: municipal and provincial level governments, and local communities and people living in the concerned basins

1. IUCN and UNECE strengthen transboundary surface water cooperation by  supporting the development of joint frameworks, institutions and agreements in a financially sustainable manner
2. IUCN and UNECE help monitor and assess transboundary water resources in key transboundary basins through the sharing of data and by backing evidence-based dialogue and decision making
3. IUCN and UNECE contribute to diffusing awareness and increasing support for transboundary water cooperation at all levels for a more favorable environment for water diplomacy

Principaux résultats attendus:  

• Promote the development of agreements and establishment of joint bodies
• Raise awareness and build capacity on the Water Convention
• Strengthen governance capacities of transboundary water institutions
• Support development and implementation of basins investments plans
• Establish a financial and technical support facility
• Build capacity on reporting to SDG 6.5.2

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

IUCN: The BRIDGE project has continued to expand its influence both at regional and global levels. It has contributed to the development of several larger projects in the basins where it is active, expanding the BRIDGE platform and bringing confirmation to its methodologies and approach demonstrated by the increasing demands from countries to develop organizations, data, capacity and collaboration with neighbours.

UNECE: Major milestones in the global opening of the Water Convention were the accession by Ghana in 2020 and by Guinea Bissau and Togo in 2021, as well as the significant progress on accession achieved by several countries, notably Cameroon, Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Iraq, and Dominican Republic. At UN level, the secretariat is co-leading the UN-Water Expert Groups on Water and Climate Change and on Transboundary Waters.

Both implementing partner rely on a network of partners at local, national and regional levels for execution of the activities, among others: GEF, UNDP, FAO, UN-Water, Geneva Water Hub, Pôle Eau Dakar, EU, GIZ, SIDA, USAID, Oxfam, etc.

Synergies with SDC’s Blue Peace activities will be explored wherever possible, such as:
i) applying the Blue Peace Index in certain locations as an advisory support tool to the REC’s and broader regional exchanges on transboundary water governance
ii) or engaging with the Blue Peace financing initiative when exploring blended finance opportunities