The UN-Water Seminar:
Transboundary Waters – Sharing Benefits, Sharing Responsibilities

Wednesday 20 August
Morning Seminar

Convenor : UN-Water

Event Summary and Conclusions

Managing transboundary waters in an equitable and sustainable way is an important prerequisite for development and human security. The UN-Water Seminar illustrated - though examples of activities of UN organizations - progress, challenges and lessons-learned.

Appropriate legal and institutional arrangements are essential for successful transboundary water management. International conventions such as the 1997 UN Convention and the1992 UNECE Water Convention are important frameworks for cooperation, but they need to be implemented. A culture of cooperation needs to be developed; the establishment of specific transboundary water agreements and of supporting institutions such as the Mekong Commission or the Nile Basin Initiative are essential steps.
 
Cooperation on shared groundwaters is even more difficult; thus the draft articles on the law of transboundary aquifers by the UN International Law Commission are a much needed tool.

Knowledge gaps, inadequate monitoring and unreliable data, lack of exchange of information and of harmonization of assessment, as well as the failure to transform data in useful information for decision-making are common obstacles. Transboundary cooperation also suffers from problems of national governance (e.g. limited human and financial capacity, frequent changes in administrations and difficulties of cross-sectoral integration). Tense political relations between riparian countries can hamper the dialogue.
 
However, failure to cooperate is not an option, especially in light of challenges such as population growth, migration, climate change, globalized trade and looming food and energy crisis. Cooperation is a long-term process that requires step-by-step progress and flexibility to adapt. There are many success stories and good examples and UN organizations have often sustained and catalyzed transboundary cooperation. Coordination of action through UN-Water should further enhance their effectiveness to deliver.

The 2009 World Water Day devoted to transboundary waters is a good opportunity to catalyze political attention and shake the barriers to cooperation.

Seminar Programme           09:00-12:00, Room K2

Chair: Mr. András Szöllösi-Nagy, Deputy Assistant Director-General, UNESCO
Moderator: Mr. Johan Kuylenstierna, Advisor to UN-Water Chairperson

Presentation from the event

Please scroll down and find the link from the programme