Reference Document Nr. 7: Water Sector Development and Governance: Complementarities and synergies between Sector-Wide Approach and Integrated Water Resource Management

The purpose of this document is to highlight common principles and synergies between sector-wide approach (SWAP) and Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in order to show how these two processes can make a joint contribution to the development of the sector. The aim is not to identify arguments in favour of one or the other approach. Nor is this paper intended to set out the European Commission’s vision and objectives for the sector. Separate guidelines also produced by former Unit E7 of EuropeAid will focus on these aspects. The document is nonbinding and intended as a guidance tool for use by European Commission Delegations and other partners involved in the water sector.

December 2009