More than 60 per cent of the world’s freshwater flow is shared between two or more riparian states. The sustainable and cooperative management of these transboundary water resources is crucial for access to water, sustainable development as well as regional stability and peace.

However, many countries and basins struggle to identify and mobilize the needed funding for transboundary water cooperation processes and basin development projects. Financial capacity constraints faced by countries and limited understanding of the benefits of cooperation often hinder the mobilization of financial resources for transboundary water cooperation and basin development.

This Brief provides an overview of the main issues related with the funding and financing of transboundary water cooperation and basin development. It features an overview of the existing financial needs for the establishment and operation of joint bodies and for the elaboration and implementation of basin management and development projects; explores the sources of funding and financing available to support transboundary water cooperation and activities related to the management and development of shared basins and analyses the key opportunities and challenges related to each of them.

This Brief aims to point out the main issues to be considered by policy and decision-makers from the water management and financing communities to accelerate the channelling of financial resources to transboundary water cooperation and basin development.

ECE.MP.WAT/72