Introduction to the workshop background and expectations Francesca

Introduction to the workshop: background and expectations Francesca Bernardini United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

CWC and workshop objectives • Exchange of experience between countries, river basins, projects • Multidisciplinary training on IWRM • Creation of a network of EECCA expert • Identification of specific follow-up activities • Contribute to the assessment report on the status of transboundary waters in UNECE Convention of the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes

Previous CWC workshops • November 2004, Kiev: Legal aspects of transboundary cooperation • June 2005, St. Petersburg: Information management and public participation Convention of the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes

Monitoring and assessment cycle Workshop on Information Management and Public Participation, June 2005 Workshop on Monitoring and Assessment, October 2005 Convention of the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes

Main conclusions from St. Petersburg • Lack of cooperation between national authorities • Lack of information exchange between riparian countries • Joint bodies are either missing or weak • Lack of human and financial resources Convention of the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes

What will happen after the workshop • All material will be available on our web site • All information, including from the questionnaire replies, will be included in the final report • Identified follow up activities will be promoted by the ECE secretariat in different frameworks Convention of the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes

Our lessons learned • Don’t be too long, focus on the conclusions • Don’t be shy! • You are experts not representatives of authorities Convention of the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes