The training was organised by Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med), in the framework of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Drin Project. It was prepared and implemented by GWP CEE in cooperation with the Drought Management Centre for Southeastern Europe (DMCSEE) with whom we already have a long-term collaboration within the Integrated Drought Management Programme for CEE (IDMP CEE).
Organizers decided to use an online platform and were building on the discussion on risks and impacts of drought and possible management that country representatives had at the 7th Drin Stakeholder conference.
Despite all the work already done in the region, drought management is still reactive, dealing mainly with losses and damages. The cooperation between key actors is missing and formal legislation mostly does not exist. Resulting from this situation, the main objective was to enhance the capacity of participants for integrated, proactive approach to drought planning, adaptation and management.
The content therefore focused on the needs and challenges for drought management in the Drin river basin, supported by the three pillars of the IDMP:
- Pillar 1 – Monitoring & Early Warning System
- Pillar 2 – Vulnerability & Impact Assessment
- Pillar 3 – Mitigation, Preparedness & Responses
Experiences and knowledge generated within both networks of partners gave additional value to the whole effort. At the same time, it was enhanced by presenting practical examples of effective drought risk management and responses as well as sharing knowledge on existing networks and practices in wider region with the emphasis on three key messages:
- Drought management starts already when there are no signs of drought
- Drought management momentum should shift from dealing with damages caused by drought, to acting preventively, and avoid next drought
- Cooperation of involved stakeholders is essential for quick and efficient response
Main outcomes of the training
- Increased knowledge and understanding of drought risk management frameworks
- greater awareness about effective drought risk management and responses
- knowledge on existing network and practices in wider region (Central and Eastern Europe / Southeastern Europe)
- awareness of the institutional mechanism, mobilization and participation in drought disaster management
- knowledge on basic steps/foundation for their future drought management polices/plans
Participants appreciated very concrete and detailed explanation of each of the three pillars. At the same time, they emphasized that transboundary cooperation, when it comes to managing drought, is an essential element of successful River Basin Management Planning.
The training was organized within the framework of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Drin Project, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and executed by GWP-Med in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
Read more about GWP-Med's part here.
*All references to Kosovo are made in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).