It was organized and supported by the German Ministry of Environment in cooperation with the Croatian Ministry of Regional Development Forestry and Water Management, GEF IWLEARN, World Bank and Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) under the Petersberg Phase II / Athens Declaration Process. The Roundtable marked six years of action under the Petersberg Phase II / Athens Declaration Process for the enhancement of Transboundary Management in Southeastern Europe.
On the 15th and 16th of December 2011, fifty high level staff of competent water authorities of the SEE countries as well as key regional and international stakeholders participated in the International Roundtable on Protection and Sustainable Use of Transboundary Waters in Southeastern Europe, which took place in Zagreb, Croatia.
The International Roundtable:
- Discussed the developments in SEE in the field of TWRM since the initiation of the Regional Dialogue during the International Roundtable “Protection and Sustainable Use of Transboundary Waters in South-Eastern Europe”, 5-7 December 2005 Berlin, Germany.
- Identified areas of intervention for the Process to facilitate the enhancement of cooperation on TWRM.
- Recognized the TWRM related priority issues to be addressed through a Regional Dialogue on TWRM in the SEE.
The programme (see the Agenda )included a number of presentations and plenary discussions (See the Conclusions).
The Presentations from the Roundtable Meeting can be found at http://www.slideshare.net/GWP-Mediterranean
The Roundtable marked six years of action under the Petersberg Phase II / Athens Declaration Process (Process) for the enhancement of Transboundary Management in Southeastern Europe (SEE); the mandate was given by the authorities and stakeholders of the SEE countries during a Roundtable organized in Berlin, Germany in 2005.
The main objective of the Process is to build capacity and share experience on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), and to develop IWRM plans for shared water bodies as a response to the targets of the 2002 Johannesburg Summit.
The Process supports in synergy with GEF IW:LEARN since 2005 a series of complementary activities that provide a forum for transboundary water management issues in SEE. The activities revolve around the political, economic, social and environmental benefits that can be realized through effective cooperation in the management of transboundary waters. Activities focus on a set of key areas and take place at an increasingly local level to facilitate a broader range of participants.
Investments are not directly financed but the exchange of ideas and experience will help to create conditions that enable investment in activities by public and private sources on the national and international level.
The Process complements the EU integration processes and other ongoing initiatives in the region.It contributes directly to the scope and objectives of the Mediterranean Component of the EU Water Initiative (MED EUWI) and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) MedPartnership.
Contact information:
Dimitris Faloutsos
Programme Coordinator for Southeastern Europe Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med)
12, Kyrristou str. 10556 Athens, Greece
T: +30210-3247490, -3247267
F: +30210-3317127
E-mail: secretariat@gwpmed.org
Website : www.gwpmed.org