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Workshop on transboundary cooperation and assessment of transboundary waters in South-Eastern Europe

18 - 20 May 2009
Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina

The workshop was organized jointly organized by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the Global Water Partnership Mediterranean (GWP-MED)the Sava River Basin Commission and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) within the framework of the UNECE Water Convention and in line with the RCC’s objective to promote regional cooperation in South-Eastern Europe (SEE). The event contributed to the regional dialogue on transboundary water resources management in SEE facilitated under the Petersberg Phase II / Athens Declaration Process.

The workshop highlighted cooperation on shared water resources management as a crucial component of the stability and prosperity process in SEE. It promoted a high level discussion on key issues facing transboundary waters and cooperation in the region linked with:

(i) institutional and legal settings for cooperation

(ii) multipurpose use of water resources and

(iii) climate change adaptation.

It allowed sharing good practices, identifying bottlenecks and challenges as well as options for the region on the way ahead.

Moreover the workshop was a determinant step in the preparations of the second assessment of transboundary waters under the UNECE Water Convention. The first Assessment was presented to the sixth Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe” (Belgrade, October 2007) which requested the Convention to prepare a second Assessment by the next Ministerial Conference, scheduled for 2011.

At the workshop, participants worked together to develop an accurate picture of all transboundary waters in SEE - both surface and groundwaters - with the aim to highlight achievements and challenges, shed light on the effectiveness of the measures taken, identify most urgent actions and provide the grounds for further measures to prevent, control and reduce transboundary impact. It therefore layed the ground for strategic directions for future work under the Convention and in other political fora. The assessment of transboundary waters in SEE which was started at the workshop was presented to the fifth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention (Geneva, 10-12 November 2009).

 

Documents

Document Title

ENG

Information Notice

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Final agenda

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List of participants

DOC

Presentations

Document Title ENG

Opening session

Mr. Reuf Hadzibegic, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Bosnia and Herzegovina

DOC

Transboundary Water Cooperation in Southeastern Europe - A Regional Stability and Prosperity Process Component, Mr. Hidajet Bišcevic, Secretary General, Regional Cooperation Council

DOC

The role of UNECE in supporting transboundary water cooperation in Southeastern Europe, Mr. Patrice Robineau, Senior Adviser to the Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

DOC

Session 1: Creating the enabling environment - legal and institutional basis for cooperation

Advancing transboundary cooperation for the management of shared water bodies through the UNECE Water Convention, Ms. Francesca Bernardini, Secretary, UNECE Water Convention

PDF

The international water law and the EU acquis communautaire as instruments for advancing transboundary cooperation – Lessons learned and Challenges, Ms. Jadranka Ivanova, Head of Department for EU affairs, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

PDF

Session 2: Adapting management of transboundary basins to meet climate change challenges – Identifying fields for action

Mainstreaming adaptation in World Bank-financed investments in the water sector; a status report, Mr. Ron Hoffer, Environment and Water Advisor, ECA Region, World Bank

PDF

Status of river basin planning and investments in navigation improvements in the Sava River Basin, Mr. Dejan Komatina, Secretary, Sava River Basin Commission

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Implications of climate change on Sava Basin hydrology, Mr. Janusz Kindler, World Bank Hydrology Expert Consultant

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Session 3: Multipurpose management of water resources in shared basins of SEE

Transboundary cooperation for balancing conflicting water uses in shared basins, Mr. Michael Scoullos, Chairman, GWP-Med

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Slovenian experience of multipurpose management of shared water bodies, Mr. Mitja Bricelj, State Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, Slovenia

PDF

Session 4: Status of transboundary water in SEE – second Assessment of transboundary rivers, lakes and groundwaters under the UNECE Water Convention

Second Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater – the Southeastern Europe Sub-Region, Ms. Sonja Koeppel, UNECE Water Convention Secretariat

PDF

The assessment of Ramsar sites within the second Assessment of transboundary waters: rationale and objectives, Ms. Nadia Alexeeva, secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

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Transboundary groundwaters within the second assessment: the case of the Dinaric Karst System, Mr. Neno Kukuric, UNESCO - ISARM

PDF

Black Sea Basin Group

Document Title ENG

Lake Iron Gates I and II, Ms. Drapa and Ms. Balaet, Senior Advisors, Ministry of Environment, Bulgaria

PDF

Timok, Mr. Dobricic, Ministry Of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Serbia and Ms. Ninkovic, JAROSLAV CERNI - Institute for the Development of Water Resources, Lead Research Engineer

PDF

Nisava, Mr. Dobricic, Ministry Of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Serbia and Ms. Ninkovic, JAROSLAV CERNI - Institute for the Development of Water Resources, Lead Research Engineer

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Sava, Mr. Dejan Komatina, Secretary, Sava River Basin Commission

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Drava and Mura, Ms. Cegnar, Advisor to the Director, Environment Agency, Slovenia

PDF

Adriatic Sea Basin Group

Document Title ENG

Krka, Mr. Steinbauer, Head of Departmant of Development, Croatian Waters, Croatia

PDF

Neretva, Mr. Kupusovic, Director, Hydro Engineering Institute, Bosnia and Herzegovina

PDF

Vijosa-Aoos

 

Drin, especially Lakes Ohrid and Prespa, Ms. Jantinska, Head of Division for bilateral cooperation and instrument for pre-accession aid (IPA funds) Department for Cooperation and Project Coordination, Coordinator of UNDP/GEF project “Integrated ecosystem management in the Prespa Lakes Basin, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

PDF

Lake Skadar, Mr. Subotic, Ministry Of Tourism And Environment Of Montenegro - Lake Skadar-Shkoder Integrated Ecosystem Management Project

PDF

Aegean Sea Basin Group

Document Title ENG

Meritza-Meric-Evros, Mr. Darama, Associate Professor/ Deputy Director, State Hydraulic Works - (DSI)

PDF

Vardar-Axios, Mr. Mirta, Head of Department for waters, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

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Mesta-Nestos, Mr. Ganoulis, Coordinator of UNESCO Chair INWEB

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Struma- Strymonas