1 Mediterranean Component of the EU Water Initiative 4 th Conference of the Water Directors of the Euro-Mediterranean and Southeastern Europe Countries December 2007, Bled, Slovenia Lead Country: GREECE Lead Country: GREECE Maria Peppa & Maria Papaioannou Hellenic Ministry for Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works

2 EU Water Initiative (launched in Johannesburg 2002) What is EUWI? - a platform for strategic and political dialogue on water issues, endorsed at the highest political level endorsed at the highest political level - an open forum for consultation with concerned stakeholders within the EU and in the region the EU and in the region - a time bound process with specific objectives - a mechanism for improved coordination within the EU and the partner country level the partner country level - a mechanism to promote ownership and demand from the partners - a means to catalyze funding for water resources development and service delivery service delivery What EUWI is not ? It is not a new organisation It is not a financial institution or source of finance

3 EUWI Objectives – Aims design ­Assist the design of better, demand-driven and result-oriented programmes, coordination use of existing fundsmobilizing new ­Facilitate better coordination of water programmes and projects, targeting to a more effective use of existing funds and mobilizing new financial resources, ­Foster cooperation ­Foster cooperation for projects’ proper implementation, based on enhancing synergies and strategic assessment.

4 Mediterranean Component of the EUWI (MED EUWI) - North Africa - Near East - Southeast Europe Geographic coverage

5 Focus Themes of MED EUWI - Integrated water resources management (IWRM), with emphasis on planning of national & transboundary bodies; - Water supply & sanitation, with emphasis on the poorest part of the societies; - Water, food, environment interaction, with emphasis on fragile ecosystems; - Non-conventional water resources; and horizontal focus themes: - Transfer of technology & know-how & training; - Education

6 Synergies Strong synergies & linkages (e.g. Agreements, MoUs) between related, regional Initiatives and Programmes: important elements to ensure effectiveness and avoid overlaps - Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Horizon 2020) - Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Horizon 2020) - Barcelona Convention (MSSD, MCSD) - Barcelona Convention (MSSD, MCSD) - EU financial Instruments (ENPI ) - EU financial Instruments (ENPI ) - Bilateral and Multilateral donors, IFIs, Int’l Orgs (OECD), GEF, etc - Bilateral and Multilateral donors, IFIs, Int’l Orgs (OECD), GEF, etc - Political Processes, Networks (NAMCOW, Petersberg II / Athens - Political Processes, Networks (NAMCOW, Petersberg II / Athens Declaration Process, EMWIS), etc Declaration Process, EMWIS), etc - EU acquis on water (EU WFD) - EU acquis on water (EU WFD) The region has a tradition in cooperation and networking

7 Euro-Mediterranean Water Directors Forum MED EUWI Structure

8 Key MED EUWI Progress in 2007 – REGIONAL level - Continue activities for promoting national IWRM institutional settings in N. African countries as a follow up of the related Rabat Process, with emphasis on Libya in collaboration with GWA, AfDB and AWF, and support sharing of experiences between countries of the region. - Continue capacity building workshops and assessments on transboundary water resources management in SE Europe and organisation of a related side event at the 6th EfE Ministerial Conference (Oct. 2007, Belgrade), with emphasis on groundwater, in collaboration with the Petersberg / Athens Process, GEF IW:LEARN and Slovenia. - Continue support of the 6 Working Groups of the JP MED EUWI / WFD. - Intensify collaboration and linkages with Horizon 2020 and the ENPI, including support to the Regional Conference on Horizon 2020 and the Private Sector Involvement, in October 2007, in Athens -Intensify collaboration with GEF Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Large Marine Ecosystems, particularly through its IWRM Component. - Organisation of the annual Conference of the Euro-Mediterranean and Southeastern European Countries (Bled, Dec. 07), serving as a stepping stone to discuss preparation of the proposed “Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on Water” scheduled for late 2008.

9 National Policy Dialogues on Water Main Purposes: - Create a platform for multistakeholder consultation on country’s needs and priorities, identifying gaps & deficiencies in achieving targets on water at country level, i.e. within national IWRM & WSS, - Discuss and elaborate on roadmap & timetable for achieving targets, - Strengthen coordination between key national involved partners, -Further support donor coordination & possibly catalyse additional funding for the sector. First National Policy Dialogues initiated in: Lebanon (2005), Egypt (2006) Lebanon (2005), Egypt (2006) Interest of more countries is explored, like Syria and Palestinian Authority Interest of more countries is explored, like Syria and Palestinian Authority Key MED EUWI Progress in 2007 – NATIONAL level (1)

10 Key MED EUWI Progress in 2007 – NATIONAL level (2) - Launched in November 2006 & Technical Meeting on June 2007, Cairo - Launched in November 2006 & Technical Meeting on June 2007, Cairo - Demand-driven process - Demand-driven process - Increased ownership & active involvement of national stakeholders - Increased ownership & active involvement of national stakeholders - Main Institutional background: Bilateral Protocol Greece-Egypt (June ’06) - Main Institutional background: Bilateral Protocol Greece-Egypt (June ’06)  It is expected to complement the ‘National Water Resources Plan 2017’, the ‘National Master Plan for Water and Wastewater’, the ‘Rural Sanitation Strategy’ and other strategic frameworks of Egypt,  It is implemented in close collaboration with OECD/EAP Task Force that will carry out the financial assessments and strategies based on existing methodologies and e-tools (e.g. the FEASIBLE model),  Dialogue’s ToRs are prepared and now emphasis is given to urgently speed up data collection in 2007 so as to present baseline scenarios in early Example: The Country Policy Dialogue of Egypt

11 1. ‘National Policy Dialogues’ in four southern Mediterranean countries 1.1. Continue ‘National Policy Dialogue’ activities in Egypt with emphasis on assisting the new 30-year Egyptian National Master Plan for Water and Wastewater and the Rural Sanitation Strategy by elaborating sustainable financing strategies, within the IWRM framework of the National Water Resources Plan Continue ‘National Policy Dialogue’ activities in Lebanon with emphasis on assisting the review of the Lebanese Decennial Strategic Plan for Water and launching the preparation of the National IWRM Plan, within the Lebanese Reconstruction Process Continue Dialogue activities in Libya with emphasis on assisting governance and institutional capacity for IWRM within the framework of the National Strategy for Water Resources Management , in collaboration with the AfDB and AWF Launch ‘Country Dialogue’ activities in one more country Interest of Syria, Palestinian Authority and other countries is under exploration. MED EUWI Work Programme 2008 – Indicative activities (1)

12 2. Regional and Country Assessments on Water 2.1. Country Status Assessments of water policies and major water programmes on IWRM and WSS, including Climate Change considerations in countries of North Africa and Near East. Activities will be implemented mainly through support by the MEDA Water Programme and in synergy with GEF SPM and UN ESCWA Regional Overview of Bilateral Assistance for Water in the Mediterranean EU Partner Countries, in collaboration with OECD Concept Note on linkages between national Climate Change adaptation measures and national Integrated Water Resources Management planning, in the Mediterranean Reference Guide for Advancing National IWRM Planning in the Mediterranean and Brief Status Assessment, in synergy with GEF SPM and UN ESCWA. MED EUWI Work Programme 2008 – Indicative activities (2)

13 3. Joint Process MED EUWI / WFD 3.1. Facilitation of JP Working Groups on ‘Groundwater Management’, ‘Water Scarcity and Droughts’, ‘Agriculture and Rural Development’, ‘Wastewater Reuse’, ‘Shared Water Resources Management’ and ‘Water Monitoring’, leading to regional reports and recommendations on the respective subjects. Activities will be implemented with support by the Leaders of the Working Groups Identification of Pilot River Basins and implementation of pilot activities MED EUWI Work Programme 2008 – Indicative activities (3)

14 4. Promote action for shared water resources management in Southeastern Europe (SEE) Southeastern Europe (SEE) 4.1. Organise four Targeted Capacity Building Workshops to exchange knowledge and discuss best practices on issues of integrated shared water resources management in SEE. Focus of activity will be on public participation, financing of joint management, institutional settings of joint management bodies and groundwater management. Activities will be implemented in synergy with the Petersberg Phase II / Athens Declaration Process and GEF IW:LEARN Support actions for inter-state collaboration for shared water resources management in SEE possibly with an emphasis on the Drin River. MED EUWI Work Programme 2008 – Indicative activities (4)

15 5. Coordination and administration 5.1. Key Meetings Organise one Meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean and SEE Water Directors Forum to review process and guide MED EUWI development, also linked with the organization of the Euro-Med Ministerial Meeting on Water in Coordination (a) Coordinate with on-going policy processes, programmes and initiatives in the Mediterranean e.g. ENPI, Horizon 2020, Barcelona Convention and UNEP/MAP, NAMCOW, UNDP, UN ESCWA, Water Centre of the Arab League, etc. (b) Further operationalize synergy with the GEF SPM, AWF, the Petersberg / Athens Process and the OECD to promote common objectives through joint activity. (c) Coordinate with the EUWI Secretariat as well as the Working Groups of Africa and EECCA to promote common objectives Administration Run the MED EUWI Secretariat primarily with support by Greece (and possibly the European Commission through the Thematic budget on environment including energy) MED EUWI Work Programme 2008 – Indicative activities (5)

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