The Roundtable was organized by GWP-Med in the framework of the ADA-funded SEE Nexus Project, and followed up on previous Regional Nexus Roundtables held in Belgrade in 2017, in Skopje in 2018 and Tirana in 2019. 50 stakeholders attended the Roundtable physically while a further 80 joined online.
In the opening session, representatives of the following organisations welcomed participants and shared insights on the importance and benefits for the region of integrated and coordinated cross-sectoral actions under a Nexus approach:
- Austrian Development Agency (ADA)
- Water Resources Management Agency, Albania (AMBU)
- Union for the Mediterranean (UFM)
- UN Environment / Mediterranean Action Plan
- Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)
- UNECE Water Convention Secretariat
- Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med)
During the first session of the Roundtable, the key outputs and findings of the SEE Nexus Project were presented and welcomed by participants. Discussions focused on the Nexus Assessments that were developed for the Project’s 3 focus areas: the transboundary basins of the Drin and Drina rivers, and Albania at the national level.
In the next session, representatives of international organisations shared their experience from Nexus initiatives in the broader Mediterranean and the potential for replication in SEE was discussed.
The 3rd session of the Roundtable involved presentations on the Project Documents for 6 concrete Nexus-related interventions that are being developed in the framework of the SEE Nexus Project, and more specifically:
- Intervention for water-energy-irrigation synergies at the Gjanci reservoir in Korca, Albania
- Implementation of Precision Agriculture practices in Albania
- Implementation of Wastewater Treatment Plants using Nature-based Solutions in 2 rural locations in the Drin basin
- Interventions on the production and use of modern biomass with sustainable forest management practices in 2 pilot locations in the Drin basin
- Interventions for improving sediment management in the Drina basin
- Outline of a Climate Adaptation Strategy for the Drina basin
During the 4th session of the Roundtable, the findings from the Project’s activities on Gender Equality in SEE and related challenges and good practices were presented, followed by a discussion on the role of women in the sustainable management of natural resources.
The last session involved a tour de table where National representatives shared their perspectives and priorities on next steps for advancing the Nexus approach in the Region. GWP-Med presented an outline of a Nexus Roadmap for SEE in that regard, which was in principle approved by participants.
The Agenda of the Roundtable and the files of the presentations given are available in the box on the right-hand side of the page.
The SEE Nexus Project (“Promoting the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in Southeastern Europe, through the use of the Nexus approach”) is financed by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation, and implemented by Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med) in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).