Environment in the EU's Eastern neighbours

What is this project about?

The EUWI EECCA project has contributed to the implementation of the EUWI NPDs on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and water supply and sanitation in ten EECCA countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine). Phase I (2008-2012, 1.7 million EUR) has supported the achievement of the water-related Millennium Development Goals in the region and the improvement of water supply and sanitation services that are delivered to the population, as well as the management of water resources. Project is jointly implemented by OECD and UNECE. During phase II (2012-2015, 3.2 million EUR) the project is supporting the countries to:

• Develop and implement water strategies and legislation based on IWRM and Water Framework Directive (WFD) principles.
• Strengthen intersectoral co-operation to improve water and health and implement the UNECE/WHO Protocol on Water and Health.
• Develop national policies for the management of trans-boundary waters in accordance with the UNECE Water Convention and other international environmental instruments.
• Strengthen the use of economic instruments in water policies, and facilitate investment in water infrastructures and services.

Three priority areas of work for 2014-2015 are:

• Managing water for inclusive gren growth;
• Water-energy-food-ecosystems security nexus;
• Transboundary water diplomacy.

What are the impacts?

• National water sector reform strategies aimed at introducing IWRM are under development in Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. The strategy is not yet formally adopted in Azerbaijan while in Tajikistan a final draft was discussed in May 2013 and the implementation of recommendations started in late 2013. The strategy proposed the separation of policy-making and operational functions (being currently implemented) and the adoption of river basin management principles.
• Kyrgyzstan: a basin management plan was developed and a Basin Management Council was established for the Chu river; reform of economic instruments for water management was started.
• A reform of economic instruments for water management in Armenia was completed.
• Draft agreement for transboundary water cooperation between AZ and GE is about to be signed.
• In 2013 a pilot project was started to test the approach of water-food-energy-ecosystems nexus in transboundary Alazani/Ganykh river basin, which is shared by Azerbaijan and Georgia.
• In Georgia a national water law was developed in 2012-2013 as part of the NPD process. It introduces the river basin management approach (in line with the EU WFD) and clarifies the roles of state institutions. The EUWI NPD has been instrumental also in the process of elaborating a background study on existing water management laws and institutions (new law is currently being prepared for passing forward for parliamentary approval).
• A roadmap of reforms to support inter-municipal cooperation in the water supply and sanitation sector in Ukraine was developed.
• Action and Investment plan for water supply and sanitation in Moldova and strategy to adapt water services and infrastructures to climate change have been developed.
• Investment plans for WSS in Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan.
• In August 2012, Turkmenistan acceded to the Water Convention, and in 2013, the inter-ministerial expert group drafted a National Water Code in order to enact necessary legal changes in line with the Water Convention and principles of IWRM (the adoption of the National Water Code is in the 2014 workplan of Mejlis, the National Parliament).

Read more at: http://www.unece.org/env/water/npd.html