Strengthening cross-border governance of water basins

Introduction

This Initiative was a Triangular Cooperation effort, developed with the support of the ADELANTE Window, integrating good practices and lessons learned from the border of Bolivia and Perú and the opportunity to share and transfer European knowledge and experiences on cross-border public policies.

Objectives

This Triangular Cooperation Initiative strengthened the capacities of the Partnership entities to create a cross-border and multi-stakeholder governance model for water basins, aimed at improving the economic, social and environmental development of the territories.

Knowledge exchange and expertise in cross-border

The providers entities were:

• Lake Titicaca Binational Authority (ALT, Bolivia and Peru)
• Association of European Border Regions (AEBR, Germany)

This Initiative aimed at strengthening the Congress of Mayors of Uruguay and the Partnership as a whole, through the exchange, adaptation and comparative systematisation of the experiences of the Partnership member entities on cross-border cooperation and territorial development.

To develop a model aimed to harness the knowledge of the member entities to jointly create a 'Cross-border Water Basin Governance Model,' to contribute to the improvement of public services, economic development and social integration in the border territories of the Uruguay river basin. 

This Initiative promoted opportunities for dialogue and learning, in which Europe's extensive experience and the similar contextual experience of the Lake Titicaca region served as a starting point . By leveraging these expertises in cross-border management structures and territorial development strategies, and the joint work of the Partnership, they were able to create an innovative model, adapted to the area of intervention and which can be replicated in other similar contexts.

Expanding impact and collaboration

This Initiative aimed at implementing structures for cross-border economic, social and environmental development, therefore to contribute to a sustainable model of cooperation and multi-level governance for water basins that contributes to local development.

The successful results of the initiative led to the establishment of a new platform through the Formalisation Meeting of the Euro-Latin American Network for Transboundary River Basin Governance, where commitments were made and a roadmap of future commitments of the network partners was drawn up.

Project activities

This initiative was structured around four key activities that aimed to create spaces for dialogue between the Partnership member entities and collaborating entities, as well as between the collaborating entities and various key players in the European and Latin American border territories involved in the Initiative.

Key activities included:

• Capacity building: training representatives of the Congress of Mayors of Uruguay in cross-border, multi-level governance strategies for sustainable water basin management.
• Model implementation: the systematisation of best practices and the analysis of existing governance frameworks—integrating considerations on human rights, gender, and the environment—provided the foundation for developing the Cross-Border Water Basin Governance Model.
• Community engagement: the Initiative fostered collaboration with local actors, enabling them to benefit directly from knowledge exchange between European and Latin American entities. Additionally, the final seminar was open to the public, extending the reach and impact of the project beyond the originally planned beneficiaries. 

Cross-cutting themes

Throughout the initiative, a cross-cutting approach was applied, integrating:

• Gender equality
• Climate change 
• Environmental sustainability

These themes were highlighted in experience-sharing, embedded in joint work sessions, and incorporated into the model and in the key products of the Initiative, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive approach to cross-border Water Basin Governance.

Results

Through this Triangular Cooperation Initiative, the knowledge and expertise of the Partnership's member entities and the collaborating entities in the field of cross-border cooperation was used to create a 'Cross-border Water Basin Governance Model'.

The results of this Initiative have contributed and aligned with the SDG 10 Reducing Inequality, particularly targets:

• Target 10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.
• Target 10.B Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes.

Implementing partner

Association of European Border Regions - AEBR, in Germany