Lessons learned Lessons learned from pilot projects on from pilot projects on monitoring and monitoring and assessment of assessment of transboundary riverstransboundary riversMartin Adriaanse

Objectives of Pilot projects

• To demonstrate recommended practices

• To support with implementation

• To learn for guidelines review

• To increase transboundary co-operation

PILOT PROJECT ACTIVITIES

INCEPTION PHASEINCEPTION PHASE agreement countries (MOU)agreement countries (MOU) financing financing project organisation project organisation

PREPARATORY PHASEPREPARATORY PHASE water management analysiswater management analysis inventoriesinventories evaluation of legislationevaluation of legislation surveyssurveys information needsinformation needs strategies strategies recommendations for improvementrecommendations for improvement

IMPLEMENTATION PHASEIMPLEMENTATION PHASE

REPORTSREPORTS

1.1. Inception reportInception report

2.2. Identification and review of water Identification and review of water management issues management issues

3.3. Recommendations for improvement Recommendations for improvement and cost estimatesand cost estimates

INVENTORY

SURVEYS

USES/FUNCTIONS

CRITERIA / TARGETS

WATER LEGISLATION

ANALYSIS OF WATER MANAGEMENT ISSUES

INFORMATION NEEDS

STRATEGIES for Monitoringand Assessment

RECOMMENDATIONS for improvement

M&A approaches brought on a higher level

in several countries a first opportunity for a river basin approach in international contacts – pioneer projects

projects pushed ministries to start new approaches to M&A

strong examples of implementation of the convention; advertisement of a logic and cost effective approach to monitoring and assessment

PROJECT RESULTS

 Projects take much more time than expected

 Make good and flexible working teams amended with relevant experts

 Create opportunities for work sessions of the projectteams.

 Political and legislative changes in countries are interrupting the progress

 The structure of project activities was very useful.

 The TORs were not enough clear.

 Start with TORs, but keep them a bit flexible

Set limits to the flexibility of the TORs

Cooperation between two countries is much easier than with three.

In neighbouring countries the responsibilities for taking decisions can be on different levels.

Keep in touch with the international river basin commissions

PROJECT ORGANISATION

strengthening of the cooperation between countries.

  experience obtained how to organise cooperation on river basin scale

  experience obtained to be applied in other working groups in transboundary cooperation

  how to prepare reports and how to communicate results.

  opportunities to learn English as a common language for cooperation.

  how to approach collaboration between experts of different states.

PERSONAL SKILLS

Important to know people from neighbouring countries and their mentality.

   Making friends in other countries is a good basis for cooperation.

   The WFD came in later; it would have been easier if the pilot projects had started at the same time; the situation will be easier for groundwater pilots that start these days.

   In many cases a joint project was only possible because a good and friendly group of experts was created.  

PERSONAL ASPECTS

   Positive changes in preparedness for exchange of data.

   Traditional way of thinking can be an obstacle for communication: dare to raise and to answer questions. 

MENTALITY CHANGES

1. Country project leaders/authors – from national budget

* Available time, priority

* Management support

* Available budget

3. Recommended approach – more than a monitoring programme

* Much more time needed

* Practice of following standards

2. English language is a major problem

* discussions, reading documents, writing reports

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