Today GWP CACENA is a well established regional actor, who helps the region to solve difficult inter-state water resources issues as well as the countries to develop an Integrated Water Resources Management approach in polices and practices. The concept of providing a neutral platform for dialogues has grown in significance since GWP CACENA was established in 2002. Within the next five year strategy period, 2009-2013, the regional water resources will have to be higher ranked on the policy agendas in order to meet combined challenges of social-economic development needs and climate change threats. During the first two year’s work plan 2009-2010 focus is set on helping countries to sustain cooperation around water bringing the key sectors together with regional and international actors in order to raise political will for cooperation via public awareness, increased capacity building activities by improved knowledge management and communication.
Contents of the GWP CACENA strategy 2009-2013
According to the Regional Strategy adopted for 2009-2013, during 2009 - the first year of the new cycle - the GWP CACENA network will develop an agreement on subsequent strategic actions for strengthening of country water partnerships in the region in order to reinforce the results in hand (from the past five years) in promoting the concept of IWRM towards sustainable development of all eight countries and to sustain their cooperation capacities (keeping in mind specifics of the two sub-regions – Central Asia and Southern Caucasus).
During the second stage of the new cycle – the years 2010-2011 – the GWP CACENA network will focus on promotion of its neutral platform (in cooperation with other active actors – e.g. EC IFAS, EU, UNECE, Finland, APWF, ADB, SDC, et al.) for dialogues among countries / stakeholders on the most challenging issues (transboundary cooperation, climate change adaptation, drinking water supply and sanitation and further promotion of the IWRM concept) – with the principal goal: to help countries to achieve sustainable cooperation processes.
During the third, final stage of the new cycle – the years 2012-2013 – the GWP CACENA network based on the established sustainable cooperation platform will be focusing on a more substantive programme of activities – to help countries with implementation of their agreed measures, which will appear at the stage as outcomes of the above-mentioned dialogues. Thus, the work programme for this stage should be specified in 2011.
In general the annual Work Plan of GWP CACENA includes four dimensions of activities in accordance with the GWP Strategy 2009-2013:
Strategic Goal 1: Support countries to put into practice better water resource management for water security
For countries well advanced in IWRM planning (Kazakhstan), GWP CACENA will emphasize local engagement and capacity building to apply improved water management and to put into practice relevant policies. For countries that pursue IWRM plans (Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) or even not started planning yet (Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkmenistan), GWP CACENA will help them to develop their capacity to complete plans and to start practical IWRM implementation. GWP CACENA will help practitioners to put into place the links between water and national development priorities, and build capacity to solve real problems and help countries to progress towards water security. At the regional (sub-regional) level GWP CACENA network will focus on promotion of its neutral platform for dialogues among countries / stakeholders on the most challenging transboundary / regional issues.
| Actions to be taken | Progress markers |
| Support policy dialogues to help to articulate the linkages among water-using authorities and interests such as agriculture, land-use planning, energy, industry, environment and health in order to ensure water is contributing to national development objectives. In parallel track support transboundary policy dialogues to help countries to establish sustainable cooperation at the regional (sub-regional) level. Thus, there will be two principal activities (with expected support from Finland): Output 1.a. Multi-sectoral round tables in each country to articulate the role of water for national development objectives Output 1.b. Transboundary (regional / sub-regional) round tables to find consensus on the most challenging issues with the aim to sustain cooperation among the countries / sectors |
Government, Business and NGOs will increasingly call upon GWP CACENA partners to facilitate dialogues, provide common understanding or take policy positions on the key national and regional issues. |
| Promote awareness raising for water management planning and its application with a focus on capturing lessons and creating knowledge: Output 1.c. Public awareness raising in each country as associated campaigns to the above national and transboundary policy dialogues. Joint activities with regional NGOs. |
Strengthened local and regional capacity to influence policy making. |
Strategic Goal 2: Promote water resources management to address adaptation to climate change and other critical challenges
Different critical and emerging challenges (economies in transition, rapid demographic change, climate change, rising food prices, etc) implicate water management within the CACENA region. In such circumstances, to remain relevant and effective GWP CACENA must articulate how water management plays a role for sustainable development and what instruments could be used for that. GWP CACENA will help countries to develop solutions by using its convening power to gather widely divergent stakeholders, and draw on the intellectual capacity of the whole GWP network.
In the past GWP has made important contributions to water and sustainable development at the global, regional and national levels. The network has developed a strong conceptual basis through publications on issues ranging from climate adaptation, infrastructure development, and river basin organizations. To support countries for IWRM planning, the GWP Technical Committee, TEC, prepared the Catalyzing Change series which were all translated into Russian, and this activity will be continued. The Regional Water Partnership will bring together global (GWP TEC) and local knowledge to deliver technical advice to the countries addressing their challenging issues both at national and regional levels. Reshaping, invigorating and investing in the IWRM ToolBox of GWP will be a central part of these efforts.
| Actions to be taken | Progress markers |
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Promote knowledge accumulation and dissemination addressing development challenges: Output 2.a. Publication of the Regional Report on Water Supply and Sanitation in 2009. Dissemination activities jointly with CAWUN – Central Asian Water Utilities Network – to promote more attention to the WSS issues as an element of the IWRM concept. |
Mechanisms created by GWP CACENA to respond to critical challenges for CACENA countries and to provide technical support at all levels of the network. |
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Introduce regional mechanism to use IWRM ToolBox as the repository of GWP knowledge on water resources management: Output 2.b. Regional Focal Point activities on IWRM ToolBox developments. Inter-regional ToolBox workshop (jointly with GWP Central and Eastern Europe, GWP CEE) in Kiev, Ukraine 2009 – addressing gaps in Water Supply and Sanitation polices. To agree on a programme for next steps (2010-2013) aiming to help countries to fill the above mentioned gaps. |
Strengthened "intellectual capacity" at the regional level to address global and regional issues including initiatives for action in the field of improved water and sanitation. |
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Cooperate with existing regional capacity development institutions to deliver technical support to the countries addressing challenging issues: Output 2.c. Training workshops in each country addressing challenging issues (topics will be identified by each CWP considering national challenges). Possible collaboration with CapNet and other international actors at the regional level. Expected specific programme with support from Finland and involvement of Helsinki University of Technology addressing young generation of future water leaders. |
GWP CACENA will develop regional cooperation with existing capacity centers, to deliver technical advice consistently at the regional and national level. |
Strategic Goal 3: Position GWP as the thought leader and pre-eminent advocate of water resources management through the creation of a global communications culture
A comprehensive communications strategy to be implemented for the CACENA region that builds on the GWP knowledge base and extends the influence of water advocates to the broader scope of social and economic development. The main goal is to create real intellectual leadership of GWP network in the CACENA region, which will influence policy at all levels, and also deliver operationally through practical guides, sharing lessons across countries and regions, and using communications for advocacy, feedback, and monitoring of results.
The main effort will be to sharpen GWP’s communication mechanism and to ensure that knowledge is shared among the target audiences in the CACENA countries. This includes improved ways to communicate GWP’s contributions and achievements to financial partners, policy-makers, water professionals, media and public in large.
| Actions to be taken | Progress markers |
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Develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy for more effective outreach to selected audiences in CACENA countries: Output 3.a. Maintenance and development of GWP CACENA website (www.gwpcacena.net) and other initiatives for communication among partners. |
Mechanisms in place to deliver GWP’s key messages to relevant audiences. |
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Improve internal and cross regional interaction within the GWP network: Output 3.b. Attendance in the most important International fora: 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul; Singapore International Water Week; GWP Consulting Partners’ meetings, the Asia-Pacific Water Summit – 2010 and process beyond. Preparations and contribution to the process towards the 6th WWF in 2012. |
Enhanced knowledge-sharing through improved network-wide communication. |
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Strengthen the integration with GWP TEC and other knowledge hubs (APWF): Output 3.c. Translations and publication/dissemination of the GWP global, regional and other relevant papers, documents, materials. |
Assistance in bringing about an IWRM approach on the key water issues of the region. |
Strategic Goal 4: Reinforce the network for effective performance
At the end of 2008 the CACENA Regional Water Partnership (which was established in December 2006) comprises six accredited Country Water Partnerships and 145 registered partners from all eight countries. This extensive network has allowed GWP CACENA to better support and influence national and regional policies and actions. In general, GWP’s light and flexible network structure allows it to focus on local priorities, and empower local actors to bring their concerns to the national, regional and even global levels.
The Governance of GWP – understood as the division of rights, roles, responsibilities and accountabilities across the partnership – will continue to evolve so that it can best support the achievement of the strategic goals in the next strategy period 2009–2013.
| Actions to be taken | Progress markers |
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Properly conduct governance of the GWP CACENA network and streamline financial, administrative and governance structures. Output 4.a. Regional annual conferences of the GWP CACENA stakeholders. Meetings of the Regional Council. Output 4.b. RWP network administration (Secretariat activities) Output 4.c. Host Institute cooperation (IWMI–Tashkent) |
Enhanced GWP CACENA organizational structure and system of governance. |
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Fully incorporate an Outcome Mapping approach as a way to monitor achievements and progress into yearly work plans. Output 4.d. Regional training and follow-up seminars on Outcome Mapping |
Integration of Outcome Mapping in the planning and reporting of the network. |
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Develop and implement a fundraising strategy with a focus on building capacity in the CACENA region. Output 4.e. Development of the regional fundraising strategy for the next five years. |
Implement the fundraising strategy. |
Archive: Regional Strategy for 2004-2008