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 The UN-Water Task Force on Transboundary Waters is intended to provide a platform to promote coherence and coordination of activities by UN-Water members and partners in the area of transboundary waters. It does this by facilitating a steady exchange of information, experiences and lessons learned and by promoting joint efforts. Improved networking will help identify gaps in programmes, maximize their effectiveness and avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. In this regard, the Task Force aims to act as a clearing-house for good practices for transboundary water cooperation and to provide a single entry point to the initiatives of UN-Water members.
Another key objective of the Task Force is to ensure that transboundary waters occupy a high position on the political agenda. The Task Force works to raise awareness about how important the protection, sustainable management and use of transboundary waters is for reaching the Millennium Development Goals and safeguarding human security and development. In addition, by demonstrating the benefits of cooperation in the area of transboundary waters, the Task Force seeks to encourage further collaborative actions among different stakeholders.
Activities
The Task Force produced a policy brief on transboundary waters, which was distributed at World Water Week in August 2008. This policy brief will be complemented with practical publications illustrating successful cases and good practices of transboundary water cooperation. A limited number of such fact sheets will be produced for the World Water Day 2009 and more for the World Water Week 2009.
In 2009, the theme for World Water Day (22 March) was transboundary water cooperation. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was the lead agency for these activities, with support from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Office of the UN-Water chair (FAO) and the Task Force. To help celebrate the day, the World Water Day 2009 web site was developed and a promotional brochure as well as other campaign material was prepared. The Task Force also organized a high-level session on the topic of transboundary water management at the fifth World Water Forum in Istanbul.
Obtaining a clear and comprehensive picture of current activities is an essential first step for improving and promoting coordination between Task Force members. Therefore, the Task Force is preparing a mapping report and a website on the activities being carried out by UN-Water members and partners in the area of transboundary waters.
The central topic of World Water Week 2009 is 'Accessing Water for the Common Good' with a special focus on transboundary waters. Consequently, the Task Force has been invited to act as co-convenor of workshop 1, 'benefit sharing and transboundary waters' during the World Water Week.
Coordinating organizations:
UNECE
UNESCO
Contacts:
Francesca Bernardini
francesca.bernardini@unece.org
Sonja Koeppel
sonja.koeppel@unece.org
Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
water.convention@unece.org
Léna Salamé
l.salame@unesco.org
Members:
United Nations Developpment Programme (UNDP)
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC)
United Nations Office to support the International Decade for Action Water for Life (UNO-IDfA)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
World Health Organization (WHO)
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
RAMSAR Convention
United Nations University (UNU)
Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)
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World Water Day 2009
The theme for World Water Day 2009 is "Shared Waters, Shared Opportunities" with the focus on transboundary waters. |
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