Building River Dialogue and Governance - Phase 4

Overview and objectives

Summary:

Water cooperation happens at different levels. While it is true that traditional diplomacy operates under the realm of States, in order to be effective water agreements require the buy-in of all…

Water cooperation happens at different levels. While it is true that traditional diplomacy operates under the realm of States, in order to be effective water agreements require the buy-in of all users, not only States. The BRIDGE Programme (Building River Dialogue and Governance) has worked at the interface of hydrodiplomacy and governance to promote a new approach in the management of shared waters: facilitating cooperation at multiple levels, strengthening inter-governmental capacities for water negotiations, and creating spaces for dialogues and agreements with a wide array of stakeholders at different levels.

The strategy of BRIDGE aims at catalysing sustainable water resources development, including progress on safe water supply and sanitation, sustainable watershed management and biodiversity conservation. It is based on the principle that demonstrations on the ground, combined with capacity and leadership development, are necessary to make cooperation a reality that catalyses change.

Objective:

1. Transboundary water governance institutions, legal and policy frameworks are strengthened and operationalised. Institutions are better equipped to function sustainably, in a stakeholder‐inclusive…

1. Transboundary water governance institutions, legal and policy frameworks are strengthened and operationalised. Institutions are better equipped to function sustainably, in a stakeholder‐inclusive manner that recognises the inter‐sectoral nature of water resources management, with improved linkages across scales and with reliable means for operation.

2. Strategies and plans developed and adapted to enable shared benefits on the ground BRIDGE will enable joint elaboration of plans and projects, and where possible, facilitate their implementation towards equitable economic, environmental and social benefits for a range of stakeholders at local level.

3. Enhanced knowledge base catalyses dialogues and planning for transboundary cooperation. Knowledge and tools produced through BRIDGE feed into dialogues to facilitate joint identification of issues and cooperative solutions among multiple stakeholders.