G77 Ministerial Forum on Water

UNDP’s experience with South-South Cooperation in

Transboundary Waters Management and

Knowledge Sharing on Water

Andrew HudsonCluster Leader & Principal Technical Advisor, Int’l Waters

Water Governance Programme United Nations Development Programme

23-25 February 2009, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

UNDP Water Governance UNDP Water Governance Programme – Strategic PrioritiesProgramme – Strategic Priorities

• IWRMIWRM - Reduce poverty and vulnerability, sustain and - Reduce poverty and vulnerability, sustain and enhance livelihoods and protect environmental resources by enhance livelihoods and protect environmental resources by helping countries to achieve equitable allocation and helping countries to achieve equitable allocation and efficient water resources management through adaptive efficient water resources management through adaptive water governance water governance

• Water Supply & SanitationWater Supply & Sanitation - Reduce poverty and - Reduce poverty and vulnerability, sustain and enhance livelihoods, and protect vulnerability, sustain and enhance livelihoods, and protect environmental resources by helping countries to achieve or environmental resources by helping countries to achieve or exceed the water supply and sanitation MDGs through exceed the water supply and sanitation MDGs through adaptive water governance adaptive water governance

• Regional & Global CooperationRegional & Global Cooperation - Enhance regional and - Enhance regional and global cooperation, peace, security and socio-economic global cooperation, peace, security and socio-economic development through adaptive governance of shared water development through adaptive governance of shared water resourcesresources

Shared Waters are the norm, not the exception

• Globally, there are 263 watersheds that cross the political boundaries of two or more countries, representing about one half of the earth’s land surface and forty percent of global population;

• 145 countries have territory within one or more of these international basins;

• There are an estimated 300 transboundary aquifer systems in the world;

• Two-thirds of the world’s 64 “Large Marine Ecosystems” (LME), where 85% of the world’s annual wild fish harvest are caught, are shared by two or more countries

UNDP-GEF International Waters UNDP-GEF International Waters Portfolio Portfolio – – Freshwater BasinsFreshwater Basins• CEEurope/C. Asia – CEEurope/C. Asia – 9 waterbodies9 waterbodies

• Danube, Dnipro, Kura-Aras, Tisza River basinsDanube, Dnipro, Kura-Aras, Tisza River basins• Lakes Baikal, Peipsi, PrespaLakes Baikal, Peipsi, Prespa• Caspian SeaCaspian Sea• Dinaric Karst aquiferDinaric Karst aquifer

•Asia-Pacific – Asia-Pacific – 1 waterbody1 waterbody• Seistan River basinSeistan River basin

•Africa – Africa – 8 waterbodies8 waterbodies• Nile, Niger, Senegal, Orange, Okavango river basinsNile, Niger, Senegal, Orange, Okavango river basins• Lakes Tanganyika, Chad, ManzalaLakes Tanganyika, Chad, Manzala

•Latin America – Latin America – 3 waterbodies3 waterbodies• Rio de la Plata, Artibonito RiverRio de la Plata, Artibonito River• Lake TiticacaLake Titicaca

•Arab States – Arab States – 2 waterbodies2 waterbodies• Nile River, Nubian AquiferNile River, Nubian Aquifer

• Small Island Developing States – Small Island Developing States – 33 SIDS33 SIDS• Pacific SIDSPacific SIDS• Caribbean SIDSCaribbean SIDS• SE Atlantic & Indian Ocean SIDSSE Atlantic & Indian Ocean SIDS

Lessons Learned in facilitating Lessons Learned in facilitating effective multi-country governance of effective multi-country governance of shared waterbodies – UN Watershared waterbodies – UN Water

• Legal InstrumentsLegal Instruments• 1997 UN Convention on Non-navigable uses of Int’l 1997 UN Convention on Non-navigable uses of Int’l Watercourses core principles (equitable use, no harm) Watercourses core principles (equitable use, no harm) already part of int’l customary lawalready part of int’l customary law• 2002 UN ECE Convention on TB Watercourses & Lakes 2002 UN ECE Convention on TB Watercourses & Lakes has served as basis for new agreements (e.g. Danube)has served as basis for new agreements (e.g. Danube)• ECE Convention amended (not yet in force) to make ECE Convention amended (not yet in force) to make open for accession by all-UN member statesopen for accession by all-UN member states• MEAs (CBD, UNCCD, etc.) provide further frameworks for MEAs (CBD, UNCCD, etc.) provide further frameworks for regional cooperationregional cooperation• ILC Draft Articles law of transboundary aquifers – May ILC Draft Articles law of transboundary aquifers – May 20082008• Challenges remain: 158 of world’s 263 TB river basins Challenges remain: 158 of world’s 263 TB river basins lack any regional cooperation frameworklack any regional cooperation framework

Lessons Learned in facilitating Lessons Learned in facilitating effective multi-country governance of effective multi-country governance of shared waterbodies – UN Watershared waterbodies – UN Water

• Legal InstrumentsLegal Instruments•Elements of ‘good’ transboundary legal instruments include:Elements of ‘good’ transboundary legal instruments include:

• Clearly set out institutional arrangementsClearly set out institutional arrangements• Clear enforcement and dispute resolution mechanisms Clear enforcement and dispute resolution mechanisms • Incorporate both water quality & quantity, climate change, Incorporate both water quality & quantity, climate change, societal valuessocietal values• Identify clear means to share benefits of water, not just the Identify clear means to share benefits of water, not just the water itselfwater itself• Provisions for joint monitoring, info exchange, public Provisions for joint monitoring, info exchange, public participationparticipation• Mechanisms that promote water-related joint economic Mechanisms that promote water-related joint economic developmentdevelopment

• Common weaknesses:Common weaknesses:• Weak capacity to implement and enforceWeak capacity to implement and enforce• Inadequate integration of environmentInadequate integration of environment• Limited sectoral scopeLimited sectoral scope• Non-inclusion of important ripariansNon-inclusion of important riparians

Lessons Learned in facilitating Lessons Learned in facilitating effective multi-country governance of effective multi-country governance of shared waterbodiesshared waterbodies

• Institutional Structures & Capacity DevelopmentInstitutional Structures & Capacity Development• Clear mandates for both regional and national bodiesClear mandates for both regional and national bodies• Strong cross-sectoral coordination at national levelStrong cross-sectoral coordination at national level• Strong political will & financing commitmentStrong political will & financing commitment• Involvement of appropriate range of stakeholdersInvolvement of appropriate range of stakeholders• Appropriate RBO rules of procedure and terms of Appropriate RBO rules of procedure and terms of referencereference• Staff – broad competencies and multi-disciplinary Staff – broad competencies and multi-disciplinary skillsskills

• Negotiation, diplomacy, conflict resolution skillsNegotiation, diplomacy, conflict resolution skills• Joint bodies need to provide:Joint bodies need to provide:

• Coordination & Advisory functionsCoordination & Advisory functions• Policy development and implementationPolicy development and implementation• Dispute settlement, monitoring & reportingDispute settlement, monitoring & reporting

Lessons Learned in facilitating Lessons Learned in facilitating effective effective multi-country governance of shared multi-country governance of shared waterbodieswaterbodies

•Information Exchange/Joint Monitoring & AssessmentInformation Exchange/Joint Monitoring & Assessment• Accurate assessment info essential for informed Accurate assessment info essential for informed decision-making & policy formulationdecision-making & policy formulation• Need for comparable info between countriesNeed for comparable info between countries

• Harmonized, compatible assessment methods & Harmonized, compatible assessment methods & data mgmt systems; agreed terminologiesdata mgmt systems; agreed terminologies

• Information exchange essential – accidents, Information exchange essential – accidents, infrastructure, extreme events, hydropower & navigation infrastructure, extreme events, hydropower & navigation operations, etc. operations, etc.

• Integrated ApproachesIntegrated Approaches• IWRM principles as applied to TB river basin; many IWRM principles as applied to TB river basin; many multi-country agreements are highly sectoralmulti-country agreements are highly sectoral• Land/water/ecosystem management that maximizes Land/water/ecosystem management that maximizes social welfare without compromising ecosystemssocial welfare without compromising ecosystems• Multi-faceted, flexible decision-making processesMulti-faceted, flexible decision-making processes• Adaptive managementAdaptive management

•Participatory Approaches to Regional Participatory Approaches to Regional ManagementManagement

• Help to maximize agreementHelp to maximize agreement• Enhance transparency & decision-makingEnhance transparency & decision-making• Facilitate acceptance & enforcement of Facilitate acceptance & enforcement of decisions/policies of shared waters institutionsdecisions/policies of shared waters institutions• Mechanism for gaining common ground Mechanism for gaining common ground between stakeholdersbetween stakeholders• Requires financial resources to be effectiveRequires financial resources to be effective• Organize openly & transparentlyOrganize openly & transparently• Involve all relevant groups (stakeholder Involve all relevant groups (stakeholder analysis)analysis)

Lessons Learned in facilitating Lessons Learned in facilitating effective effective multi-country governance of shared multi-country governance of shared waterbodies – UN Waterwaterbodies – UN Water

Lessons Learned in facilitating Lessons Learned in facilitating effective effective multi-country governance of shared multi-country governance of shared waterbodies – UN Waterwaterbodies – UN Water

•Benefits and Cost-SharingBenefits and Cost-Sharing• Focus on Focus on useuse of water to generate of water to generate benefitsbenefits, not on, not on allocation allocation of waterof water• Optimize generation of basin-wide benefitsOptimize generation of basin-wide benefits• Work to share the benefits Work to share the benefits equitablyequitably• Even under benefit sharing approaches, will often be Even under benefit sharing approaches, will often be difficult trade-offs and choicesdifficult trade-offs and choices• Payments for benefits/compensation for costs can be Payments for benefits/compensation for costs can be integral element of cooperative arrangementsintegral element of cooperative arrangements• Payments for ecosystem services – new, innovative Payments for ecosystem services – new, innovative

Lessons Learned in facilitating Lessons Learned in facilitating effective effective multi-country governance of shared multi-country governance of shared waterbodies – UN Waterwaterbodies – UN Water

• FinancingFinancing• Short and long-term financing essential for legal Short and long-term financing essential for legal frameworks, new institutions, capacity building, AND frameworks, new institutions, capacity building, AND investmentsinvestments• As always, diversify: national, local, donors, etc. As always, diversify: national, local, donors, etc. • Innovative financial mechanismsInnovative financial mechanisms

• Regional revolving fundsRegional revolving funds• Payments for ecosystem servicesPayments for ecosystem services• (equitable) cost recovery for water services(equitable) cost recovery for water services

• Require strong political support, good governance andRequire strong political support, good governance and effective institutions effective institutions

Lessons Learned in promoting South-South Lessons Learned in promoting South-South knowledge exchange on Integrated Water knowledge exchange on Integrated Water Resources Management – Resources Management – UNDP’s CapNet ProgrammeUNDP’s CapNet Programme

• Capacity building is most effective when it is delivered from local knowledge centres by local professionals;

• Long term support to capacity development can only come from knowledgeable local resource centres (donors come and go);

• Bringing in regional experts is often more appreciated than international experts and can allow for more continuous collaboration over time;

• S-S sharing of experience is most responsive to the real needs of the developing world and more likely to lead to action;

• South-South Collaboration is often donor driven; by identifying local capacity needs, the Cap-Net network partners have been able to set the capacity building agenda and undertake activities that build capacity to improve water resources management and multiply the number of resource persons, creating independent national and regional capacity;

• Greater regional collaboration in terms of research projects, post-graduate education, case study exchanges, joint facilitation of training courses and learning exchange visits has narrowed the gap in water resources management by providing a series of platforms for stakeholder dialogue and first-hand exchange of knowledge and experience.

Lessons Learned in promoting South-South Lessons Learned in promoting South-South knowledge exchange on Integrated Water knowledge exchange on Integrated Water Resources Management – Resources Management – UNDP CapNet ProgrammeUNDP CapNet Programme

Lessons Learned in promoting South-South Lessons Learned in promoting South-South knowledge exchange on knowledge exchange on Transboundary Waters Management Transboundary Waters Management – – International Waters: LEARNInternational Waters: LEARN

• The Biennial GEF International Waters conferences have become a pivotal South-South portfolio learning event

• Identification of many common problems and challenges• Can learn as much from others’ failures as successes• Southern participants have the most to contribute (vs. North)• Participants self-organize along technical, governance, ecosystem or geographical lines• Variety of learning styles employed (formal, informal, face-face, virtual, etc.)

• Regional dialogue processes can help foster trust and confidence and trigger transboundary cooperation

• 'Athens/Petersberg' process helped to validate the concerns of stakeholders in the SEEurope region as a collective; • Provision of sustained support enabled the opening of a consultative knowledge-sharing and participative peer learning space; • Participants must genuinely own the process, because if one side feels manipulated by the other they will withdraw; • Can be catalytic, leading to spin-off activities

Lessons Learned in promoting South-South Lessons Learned in promoting South-South knowledge exchange on knowledge exchange on Transboundary Waters Management Transboundary Waters Management – – International Waters: LEARNInternational Waters: LEARN

• Inter-project peer learning exchangesInter-project peer learning exchanges have proven to be possibly have proven to be possibly the most powerful mechanism for south-to-south knowledge transferthe most powerful mechanism for south-to-south knowledge transfer

• Participants on each side engage in reflecting on how and why various tools and approaches have or have not worked and why their lessons might be worth sharing • When projects define their own learning objectives, the learning exchange process itself generally proves to be mutually valuable

• Collaborations - create opportunities (and incentives) to learn together, including creative joint problem-solving and peer assisting activities like clinics

• Meals and libations - unscheduled "down-time" seals the bonds of eternal camaraderie, thus should not be abbreviated or overrun by keynotes which prevent peer-to-peer interactions

• S-S exchange occurs most effortlessly when professionals working towards common ends in parallel conditions grow personal connections and confidence in each other which encourage them to call on one another for assistance and goodwill to preemptively offer or respond to the same

Thank you!

Andrew HudsonUNDP Water Governance

ProgramFF-9981 UN PlazaNew York, NY 10017Tel 1 212 906 6228Fax 1 212 906 6998Email: andrew.hudson@undp.org Web: www.undp.org/water