GEF project “Enabling Transboundary Cooperation and Integrated Water Resources Management in the Extended Drin River Basin”
The Project Identification Form (PIF) and a Project Preparation Grant (PPG) workplan prepared by UNDP/GEF, UNECE and GWP-Med in cooperation with the Drin Core Group and endorsed by the GEF operational focal points of Albania, FYR Macedonia and Montenegro (the beneficiary countries of the project), was approved by the GEF Council that took place in Washington, D.C., 13-15 November 2012. UNDP is the implementing agency and UNOPS, UNECE and GWP-Med the executing partners of the project.
The total budget of the project is 22,500,00 USD of which the GEF contribution is 4,500,000 USD; the rest is co-financing coming from the countries and project partners.
The Program is structured around the following five Components:
|
Project Component |
Expected Outcomes |
Expected Outputs |
|
Component 1: Consolidating a common knowledge base |
Outcome 1: Consensus among countries on key transboundary concerns, including climate change and variability reached through joint fact finding |
1) Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA). (2) Agreement on main drivers of change, and on indicators of current conditions, documented and agreed by Drin Core Group. (3) Monitoring and Information Management System (IMS). |
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Component 2: Building the foundation for mutlicountry cooperation |
Outcome 2: Visioning process opens the way for systematic cooperation in the management of the transboundary Drin River Basin. Outcome 3: Countries and donors commit to sustain joint Cooperation mechanisms and to undertake priority reforms and investments. |
(4) Shared Vision. (Horizon of 20 years). (5) A Strategic Action Program (SAP) with a 5 years time horizon and consistent with the long term vision formulated. (6) Partnership Conference |
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Component 3: Institutional strengthening for Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) |
Outcome 4: Transboundary cooperation will facilitate balancing of water uses and sustaining environmental quality throughout the extended Drin Basin. |
(7) High Level Joint Commission for the Extended Drin Basin established. (8) Inter-ministerial Committees established and functioning (9) SAP endorsement at ministerial level (10) Training Program |
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Component 4: Demonstration of technologies and practices for IWRM and ecosystem management |
Outcome 5: Benefits demonstrated on the ground environmentally sound approaches and technologies new to the region. |
(11) A program of on the ground pilot demonstrations focusing on: water use efficiency measures, reduction of nutrients, land use planning, groundwater protection, floods and droughts, sustainable tourism and flood risk management will deliver tangible results using quantifiable indicators. |
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Component 5: Stakeholder Involvement, Gender Mainstreaming and Communication Strategies |
Outcome 6: Public support and participation to IWRM and joint multi-country management enhanced through stakeholder involvement and gender mainstreaming Outcome 7: Political awareness at all levels and private sector participation strengthened through higher visibility of the project’s developments and targeted outreach initiatives. |
(12) A Stakeholder Involvement and Gender Mainstreaming Strategy defined and implemented. (13) Information, Communication and Outreach Strategy prepared and implemented. |
Project preparation phase
A preparation phase was initiated in January 2013; the countries and the partners to the project will work to prepare the Project Document until the end of 2013. The full phase of the project is expected to start in early 2014.
