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Global Workshop on the Development of Transboundary Water Cooperation Agreements or other Arrangements

Global Workshop on the Development of Transboundary Water Cooperation Agreements or other Arrangements

Environmental Policy
07 November (8:00) - 08 November (18:00) 2023
Budapest Hungary
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Background

Transboundary rivers, lakes, and aquifers play a vital role in supporting the livelihoods of billions of people worldwide. Roughly 60% of global freshwater flow is in shared basins. About 40% of the world’s population lives in shared basins. The development of operational arrangements on shared waters serves as a fundamental instrument to prevent conflicts and ensure effective, equitable and sustainable use and management of water resources. Operational arrangements enhance cooperation, promote peace, prevent conflicts, and protect ecosystems. Cooperation in the management of shared water resources is also key to reducing water-related risks – such as floods and droughts, and to increasing resilience to climate change.

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The adoption of agreements or other arrangements is one of the main obligations under the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention). To promote the development of agreement or other arrangements, the publication entitled “Practical Guide for the Development of Agreements or Other Arrangements for Transboundary Water Cooperation” (Practical Guide) was developed by a drafting group and adopted during the ninth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the 1992 Water Convention. The Practical Guide aims to support countries and other stakeholders in the design and drafting or review of agreements or other arrangements for transboundary waters, including both surface waters and groundwaters.

The Global Workshop will present how the Practical Guide and other relevant materials and tools developed by partners can help in drafting new or improving existing transboundary water agreements. The workshop endeavours to empower states, basin organizations and other relevant stakeholders to develop effective cooperation frameworks and ensure the equitable and sustainable management of shared water resources.

 

Objectives

The key objective of the workshop is to support states, basin organizations, international and regional organizations in discussing and developing, through a step-by-step approach, agreements and other arrangements on transboundary rivers, lakes and aquifers. The workshop will provide practical and interactive opportunities for countries and other international and regional actors to learn how to develop sustainable, adaptable and effective transboundary water agreements or to revise existing ones on the basis of case studies from all over the world. Specific attention will be paid to legal and institutional tools and techniques to prevent or mitigate conflict risks and foster cooperation. By sharing insights and experiences, the workshop aims to foster a deeper understanding of how to develop and revise agreements or other arrangements that not only enhance transboundary water cooperation but also mitigate potential conflicts and may contribute to supporting peace in fragile contexts.

More specific objectives are to:

  • To provide practical guidance and support for negotiating agreements or other arrangement, including in complex environments through a systematic, step-by-step process, also in cases where cooperation is complicated;
  • To share knowledge, experiences, and lessons learned on proven strategies for crafting effective transboundary water agreements or other arrangements that yield mutual benefits for countries and basins;
  • To create a conducive environment for acquiring valuable insights into conflict prevention and the promotion of harmonious practices in water management, enhancing the prospects of peaceful cooperation;
  • To provide a platform for networking, establishment of valuable partnerships, and strengthening collaborative efforts to develop agreements or other arrangements;
  • To contribute to the broader understanding of the pivotal role of legal and institutional frameworks in achieving sustainable development, conflict prevention and regional stability, and environmental protection.

 

Target audience

The workshop is targeted at government representatives, legal and technical experts, and decision-makers directly engaged in the processes of negotiation and establishment of new agreements, revision of existing agreements or other arrangements for transboundary waters.

Targeted participants will also include representatives of joint bodies’ secretariats, Parties of existing joint bodies/Conventions, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations promoting transboundary water cooperation, experts, and academia.

The workshop aims to assist basins which have recently embarked on the development of agreements or are committed to start such process in the near future.

 

Partners

The workshop will be organized under the leadership of the Governments of Hungary and Germany, with the support of the secretariat of the Water Convention. Funding for the workshop is provided by Germany, Hungary, GEF IW-LEARN.

The following organizations are partners in organizing this workshop: GEF IW-LEARN, Geneva Water Hub/University of Geneva, Global Water Partnership (GWP), International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO); International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Northumbria University, World Bank (WB) and others.

 

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Concept Note

50582 _ Concept Note _ 383315 _ English _ 773 _ 393334 _ pdf
50582 _ Concept Note _ 383315 _ French _ 780 _ 393335 _ pdf
50582 _ Concept Note _ 383315 _ Russian _ 864 _ 393336 _ pdf
50582 _ Concept Note _ 383315 _ Spanish _ 879 _ 393337 _ pdf

Agenda

53097 _ Agenda _ 384911 _ English _ 773 _ 397789 _ pdf
53097 _ Agenda _ 384911 _ French _ 780 _ 397790 _ pdf
53097 _ Agenda _ 384911 _ Russian _ 864 _ 397791 _ pdf
53097 _ Agenda _ 384911 _ Spanish _ 879 _ 397792 _ pdf

Presentations

51602 _ Opening Session: Aims and objectives of this workshop and links with the 1992 Water Convention, Sonja Koeppel _ 385237 _ English _ 773 _ 398675 _ pdf
51602 _ Opening Session: Designing a legal framework for transboundary waters, Alistair Rieu-Clarke _ 385239 _ English _ 773 _ 398678 _ pdf
51602 _ Opening Session: Practical Guide for the Development of Agreements, Komlan Sangbana _ 385241 _ English _ 773 _ 398679 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 1: Negotiation process of legal arrangement for transboundary cooperation, Peter Kovacs _ 385242 _ English _ 773 _ 398684 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 1: Cooperation on Jordan River Basin, Mohammad Al-Dwairi _ 385243 _ English _ 773 _ 398688 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 1: Cooperation between Mozambique and Zimbabwe to enhance water cooperation, Norest Ndawana _ 385245 _ English _ 773 _ 398690 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 1: Cooperation in the Pretashkent Transboundary Aquifer, Nurbek Pulatov _ 385246 _ English _ 773 _ 398692 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 2: Design general provisions and substantive norm of the content of legal frameworks, Christina Leb _ 385247 _ English _ 773 _ 398693 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 2: Cooperation in transboundary waters between Poland and Belarus, Katarzyna Agnieszka Delis-Szeląg _ 385248 _ English _ 773 _ 398694 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 2: Cooperation agreement on the Sixaola River Basin, Guillermo Villalobos Solé _ 385249 _ English _ 773 _ 398695 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 3: Designing for the legal framework, Experience from Vietnam, Thu Phuong Nguyen _ 385251 _ English _ 773 _ 398697 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 3: Establishment of an effective institutional framework: the case of the Senegal River regime, Fawzi Bedredine _ 385252 _ English _ 773 _ 398698 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 3: Effective institutional framework: the case of the Binational Commission between Ecuador and Peru, Diego Jara _ 385253 _ English _ 773 _ 398700 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 4: Dispute resolution mechanism: the Dniester River Basin Commission case, Daria Nesterenko and Radu Cazacu _ 385254 _ English _ 773 _ 398701 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 4: Addressing dispute settlement: insights from Africa, Mutoy Mubiala _ 385255 _ English _ 773 _ 398702 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 4: Addressing dispute settlement: insights from LAC cases, Alexander López _ 385256 _ English _ 773 _ 398703 _ pdf
51602 _ Session 4: Dispute settlement and the role of third Parties in supporting implementation, Makane M. Mbengue _ 385257 _ English _ 773 _ 398704 _ pdf
51602 _ Special Session: Evolution from an MoU to a full agreement: Example of the Drin River Basin, Ylber Mirta _ 385258 _ English _ 773 _ 398705 _ pdf
51602 _ Special Session: Experience from Chu Talas Basin, Aidar Abishev _ 385259 _ Russian _ 864 _ 398706 _ pdf
51602 _ Special Session: The Experience in the Gambia River, Daouda Samba Sow _ 385260 _ French _ 780 _ 398707 _ pdf
51602 _ Special Session: Experience from the Okavango River Basin Water, Phera Ramoeli _ 385261 _ English _ 773 _ 398708 _ pdf
51602 _ Special Session: Experience from the Mekong River, Sokhem Pech _ 385262 _ English _ 773 _ 398709 _ pdf
51602 _ Concluding Session: Process for defining future work in the sub-area and Supporting the development of agreements and the establishment of joint bodies _ 385263 _ English _ 773 _ 398710 _ pdf

Interactive Exercise Materials

53192 _ Case study background _ 384965 _ English _ 773 _ 397956 _ pdf
53192 _ Case study background _ 384965 _ French _ 780 _ 397957 _ pdf
53192 _ Case study background _ 384965 _ Russian _ 864 _ 397958 _ pdf
53192 _ Case study background _ 384965 _ Spanish _ 879 _ 397959 _ pdf
53192 _ Draft Agreement between State Ara and State Bora _ 384966 _ English _ 773 _ 397960 _ pdf
53192 _ Draft Agreement between State Ara and State Bora _ 384966 _ French _ 780 _ 397961 _ pdf
53192 _ Draft Agreement between State Ara and State Bora _ 384966 _ Russian _ 864 _ 397962 _ pdf
53192 _ Draft Agreement between State Ara and State Bora _ 384966 _ Spanish _ 879 _ 397963 _ pdf
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