1. IWAC Background
The International Water Assessment Centre (IWAC) was established as a collaborative centre of the Water Convention at the second meeting of the Parties (March, 2000) under the leadership of the Netherlands. Since then IWAC proved to be an effective operational arm of the Convention and its Protocols, which helped to transform these instruments’ obligations into concrete action on the ground.
The Government of Slovakia offered at the fourth meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention (November 2006) to host IWAC at the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute. The Memorandum of Understanding on IWAC between the Slovak Government and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has been approved by the Slovak Government in November 2008 with signing it in 7th April 2009.

2. IWAC Strategy Objective
The core objective of this Strategy is to provide a general framework for IWAC’s functioning. The Strategy is intended to assist Parties and non-Parties to the Convention and other potential IWAC partners in developing a long-term planning to pursue practical implementation of the Convention and its Protocols, through:
defining and implementing needs-driven activities;
seeking synergies among different projects; and
exploring possibility to raise funds for the activities.

3. IWAC „Broadening“
The growing need to consider monitoring and assessment within the wider context of integrated water resources management (IWRM) calls for broadening IWAC original focus on monitoring and assessment. IWAC terms of reference need to be revised in light of the above.
Consequently also the composition of IWAC Core Group will be revised and new members might be sought as needed.
IWAC secretariat in cooperation with UNECE and main actors will consolidate this strategy revised terms of reference for adoption by the Parties at their fifth meeting in November 2009.

4. IWAC Responsibilities
On the basis of the experience gained since IWAC establishment and the decisions by the Meeting of the Parties and the Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment, IWAC responsibilities will include:
(a) To initiate, develop, implement or assist in implementing pilot projects on priority issues defined by the Parties to the Convention;
(b) To organize training courses and workshops, and/or render assistance to UNECE countries and joint bodies in conducting such events;
(c) To assist in the development and implementation of tailor-made monitoring and assessment systems in the context of IWRM in the UNECE region, and upon request in other regions;
(d) To act as a clearing house on priority issues for the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols, as defined by the Parties;
(e) To act as a coordinator among its Core Group members and other partners in order to promote: (i) coordination of joint action, including implementation of joint projects and related fund raising activities; (ii) exchange of concepts and findings of scientific research, dialogue between scientists and policy makers, for the transformation of scientific results and technical know-how into policies, and feedback from policy makers to scientists to seek answers for solving still existing problems and tackling those ahead;
(f) To assist joint bodies within the terms of article 9, paragraph 2, of the Convention in carrying out their obligations under the Convention.

5. IWAC Responsibilities
Activities will be organized taking into consideration the sub-regional aspect, as follows:
South-East Europe
East Europe
Caucasus
Central Asia
EU and other Western European countries

6. Organizational Structure
The Meeting of Parties to the Water Convention will consider progress in IWAC activities and decide on strategic directions for its further work.
Subsidiary bodies under the Water Convention will define specific areas of work, including through identification of activities such as pilot projects.
The secretariat of the UNECE Water Convention will ensure communication between the Convention’s bodies and IWAC secretariat and will assist in implementing activities, as appropriate.
The Core Group of IWAC, comprised of representatives of leading water management institutions, will: (a) prepare, review and update, in consultation with IWAC secretariat and the UNECE, a strategy and workplans for IWAC activities, in accordance with the decisions adopted by the Meetings of the Parties to the Water Convention and other subsidiary bodies, (b) decide on and support implementation of activities, including fundraising, as relevant; and (c) propose revision of IWAC terms of reference to the Meeting of the Parties, as appropriate.
IWAC secretariat will take the lead in initiating and implementing the activities defined in the IWAC workplan.

7. IWAC Resources
The implementation of activities should relay as much as possible on the existing capacity of organizations involved in them, but at the same time, it should be recognized that the implementation will require additional resources.
The following sources of financial support to IWAC activities are foreseen:
the budget of the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute; and
the budget of the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs (priority sub-regions are Caucasus, Central Asia and Balkans).
IWAC will also consider raising funds from the European Commission and other donors, as needed.

8. IWAC Work Plan for 2010 - 2012 (a) New pilot projects
New pilot projects in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia, and in South Europe will be defined,
Including through preparatory process of the second Assessment of transboundary rivers, lakes and groundwaters
The need to concider monitoring and assessment in the broader contexts of IWRM
The scope of pilot projects – become basin-wide
Scope and objectives of new pilot projects should build on different activities under the Convention

9. IWAC Work Plan for 2010 – 2012
In particular the programme will have three main focus areas:
Adaptation to climate change in the transboundary context, incl. Management of floods and droughts
Joint monitoring and assessment of transboundary waters, incl. Data management and information exchange
Implementation of payments for ecosystem services to support IWRM

10. IWAC Work Plan for 2010 – 2012
A first step will be the identification of committed countries and pilot basin. The following pilot areas could be considered for the projects: Sava, Dniester, Chu and Talas, Amur River Basin, Caucasus and lakes shared by Belarus, Latvia and the Russian Federation.
IWAC, in cooperation with the interested partners, will lead development, implementation and fundraising for the projects.
Interested countries should inform of their intention to develop and implement pilot projects

11. IWAC Work Plan for 2010 – 2012
Ongoing projects carried out by other organizations
IWAC will also facilitate inter-linkage among various existing projects on transboundary waters in the UNECE region to ensure synergies among them, thereby supporting implementation of the Convention. The following projects will be considered:
Danube – Balkan UNDP/GEF Tisza project[1]
Vojvodina SlovakAid project[2]
International Sava River Basin Commission – several projects[3]
Belarus – Ukraine - Slovakia NATO project on the Pripyat River Basin[4]
Kura River Basin project financed by EuroAid – Caucasus countries[5]
- Several activities organized by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) and the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (BSC)[6]
[1] UNDP/GEF Tisza MSP Integrating multiple benefits of wetlands and floodplains into improved transboundary management for Tisza River Basin
[2] SlovakAid project Strengthening the Capacity for Implementation of the Directive 76/464/EEC in Vojvodina Region
[3]
[4] NATO Project Strengthening of the Flood Monitoring & Forecasting in the Pripyat River Basin
[5] EuropeAid Trans Boundary River Management Phase II Kura River
[6] and

12. IWAC Work Plan for 2010 – 2012
Second Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwaters
IWAC, in close cooperation with Global Water Partnership for Central and Eastern Europe (GWP-CEE), and other partners will contribute to the preparation of the Assessment through supporting completion of the datasheets and coordinating inputs related to the waters shared by EU countries; facilitating communication with experts, supporting preparation of substantive contributions, and organizing meetings, in particular a sub-regional meeting for Western EECCA, and neighbouring EU countries.

13. IWAC Work Plan for 2010 – 2012
Sharing of experience and capacity building
(a) Training
(b) Monitoring tailor – made V
(c) Internet site
(d) Newsletter

14. IWAC Work Plan for 2010 – 2012 Resources
The following sources of financial support to IWAC activities are foreseen:
the budget of the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute; and
the budget of the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs (priority sub-regions are Caucasus, Central Asia and Balkans).
IWAC will also consider raising funds from the European Commission and other donors, as needed.

15. IWAC Work Plan for 2010 – 2012 Personell IT resources
Permanent secretariat
Permanent experts
Additional experts (ad hoc thematic working groups)
IT resources

16. Thank you