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CREATION OF ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF KURA-ARAKS TRANSBOUNDARY RIVER BASIN DISCUSSED
PanARMENIAN.Net
June 3, 2010 - 16:29 AMT 11:29 GMT
REC Caucasus organized the Regional Stakeholder Meeting of the Project:
Creation of Enabling Environment for Integrated Management of the
Kura-Araks Transboundary River Basin.
The objective of the project is to gain a consensus-based agreement
between the South Caucasus countries, donor organizations and
other concerned parties on further steps towards improvement and
creation of basis for sustainable cooperation and coordination
through establishment of regional institutional mechanisms for
major participating countries of the Caucasus, including governments,
supporting control and coordination of projects (including donor ones)
for integrated management of the Kura-Araks transboundary rivers basin,
and adoption of Road Maps for assessment of progress in sustainable
management of the Kura-Araks river basin with view to introduction
of the EU Water Directives.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of governments of
South Caucasus countries; EU Delegation; international organizations,
such as USAID, WB, OSCE; NGOs and independent experts.
Georgi Arzumanyan, REC Caucasus Executive Director made the
presentation on the history of the project, its goals and objectives,
future prospects and obstacles.
Pierre Henry de Villeneuve, IWRM project director at the International
Office for Water introduced the principles of IWRM and made the
presentation on the experience of the transboundary river basin
management in Europe.
Denis Besozzi, Expert of the Rhine-Maas Water Agency, made the
presentation of the experience based on the Rhine transboundary river
basin management plan preparation.
Several presentations were done on the situation in South Caucasus
countries concerning IWRM and introduction of EU water framework
directives. The need of regional cooperation in integrated management
of the Kura-Aras transboundary river basin has been stressed at
the meeting.
The discussions of institutional set-up options, consensus-
based agreement on creation of basis for sustainable cooperation
and coordination through establishment of regional institutional
mechanisms were held on the second day of the meeting.
In light of several discussions over institutionalization of the
transboundary management of Kura-Araks basin, considering experience
of a number of projects conducted in the region with the aim of
establishing regional coordination body for joint management, and
referring to political realities of the region, participants have come
to the conclusion, that establishing of new structure in short-term
perspectives is not realistic. It has been decided and agreed by all
participating countries, that REC Caucasus, as the already established
regional institution, within its mandate is the best positioned in the
region for implementing coordination activities towards implementation
by countries of EU WFD and providing kind of secretariat functions
for thematic working groups for introduction of IWRM principles.
Further elaboration of National and Regional Road Maps, as well as
finalization of institutional mechanism will be expected at later
stages of the project, REC Caucasus press service reported.
From: A. Papazian
PanARMENIAN.Net
June 3, 2010 - 16:29 AMT 11:29 GMT
REC Caucasus organized the Regional Stakeholder Meeting of the Project:
Creation of Enabling Environment for Integrated Management of the
Kura-Araks Transboundary River Basin.
The objective of the project is to gain a consensus-based agreement
between the South Caucasus countries, donor organizations and
other concerned parties on further steps towards improvement and
creation of basis for sustainable cooperation and coordination
through establishment of regional institutional mechanisms for
major participating countries of the Caucasus, including governments,
supporting control and coordination of projects (including donor ones)
for integrated management of the Kura-Araks transboundary rivers basin,
and adoption of Road Maps for assessment of progress in sustainable
management of the Kura-Araks river basin with view to introduction
of the EU Water Directives.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of governments of
South Caucasus countries; EU Delegation; international organizations,
such as USAID, WB, OSCE; NGOs and independent experts.
Georgi Arzumanyan, REC Caucasus Executive Director made the
presentation on the history of the project, its goals and objectives,
future prospects and obstacles.
Pierre Henry de Villeneuve, IWRM project director at the International
Office for Water introduced the principles of IWRM and made the
presentation on the experience of the transboundary river basin
management in Europe.
Denis Besozzi, Expert of the Rhine-Maas Water Agency, made the
presentation of the experience based on the Rhine transboundary river
basin management plan preparation.
Several presentations were done on the situation in South Caucasus
countries concerning IWRM and introduction of EU water framework
directives. The need of regional cooperation in integrated management
of the Kura-Aras transboundary river basin has been stressed at
the meeting.
The discussions of institutional set-up options, consensus-
based agreement on creation of basis for sustainable cooperation
and coordination through establishment of regional institutional
mechanisms were held on the second day of the meeting.
In light of several discussions over institutionalization of the
transboundary management of Kura-Araks basin, considering experience
of a number of projects conducted in the region with the aim of
establishing regional coordination body for joint management, and
referring to political realities of the region, participants have come
to the conclusion, that establishing of new structure in short-term
perspectives is not realistic. It has been decided and agreed by all
participating countries, that REC Caucasus, as the already established
regional institution, within its mandate is the best positioned in the
region for implementing coordination activities towards implementation
by countries of EU WFD and providing kind of secretariat functions
for thematic working groups for introduction of IWRM principles.
Further elaboration of National and Regional Road Maps, as well as
finalization of institutional mechanism will be expected at later
stages of the project, REC Caucasus press service reported.
From: A. Papazian