*EPF125 03/17/2003
Fact Sheet: U.S. Supports Transboundary Water Management
(Backs cooperative use of resources for regional benefits) (690)

The U.S. Department of State issued a fact sheet March 14 on its support for regional water management plans in order to optimize the resource and minimize cross border tensions. The document is released as the United States sends a delegation to participate in the World Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan March 16-23. Under Secretary for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky is to head the delegation.

The following terms are used in the text:

NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
USAID: U.S. Agency for International Development
USGS: U.S. Geological Survey

Following is the fact sheet:

(begin fact sheet)

Transboundary Water Resources
United States Initiative
World Water Forum 2003

Overview

Almost 40 percent of the world's population lives in more than 200 river basins that are shared by more than two countries. Twenty-two countries around the world are heavily dependent upon the flow of water originating in other upstream nations for a large part of their supply.

Cooperative management of shared watercourses can optimize regional benefits, mitigate water-related disasters, and minimize tensions. It can also help maintain shared ecosystems and improve water productivity in agriculture.

United States Government Activities

The United States Government (USG) is actively participating in a wide range of transboundary related activities targeted at improving water resources management that is consistent with the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management. These activities include regional frameworks for cooperation in selected river basins, increased stakeholder awareness of river basin management issues, and strengthening the capacity of relevant regional river basin institutions.

The USG is advancing the adoption of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) practices in a number of transboundary rivers, including major activities in Central Asia and Southern Africa. These efforts emphasize the application of sound science and the active participation of stakeholders, and include the:

--Promotion of water demand management, negotiation and conflict management;

--Stakeholder-based decision-making to manage competing water demands;

--Institutional strengthening and capacity building;

--Training programs for monitoring, analysis and planning of water resources management;

--Harmonization of national laws with the management of the shared water course; and

--Regional information collection, management, analysis, exchange and application to decision-making.

Specific activities are on-going in:

--Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). USAID has supported the development of transboundary basin planning tools for the Syr Darya River to facilitate decisions on the allocation and distribution of water and energy in the region, and to facilitate transboundary water discussions between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. USAID also supports an improved data gathering and communication system to improve decision making on sensitive transboundary water and energy agreements.

--Southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Mo0zambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe) where USAID is supporting activities in the Okavango and other major basins in the region.

--Eastern Europe (Republic of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Serbia & Montenegro, and Republic of Slovenia). Through the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, the USG is supporting cooperation among the four riparian states along the Sava River to sustainably manage the water resources of the basin.

In addition, USAID has provided support for transboundary water management activities in:

--South Asia to investigate arsenic in the groundwater and promote the sharing of data and information within the Ganges-Brahmaputra basin, and flood forecasting in the transboundary rivers in the region.

--South East Asia on the Mekong River to share experiences between the Mekong Riber Commission and the Mississippi River Commission.

--The Nile Basin to conduct an environmental study on opportunities and constraints.

--Central America on the Rio Lempa (El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala), where USAID, USGS and NOAA have been providing assistance on coordinating the management of the basin, gauging the river and providing information for dam operations.

--The United States is also supporting the UNDP Transboundary River Basin Initiative. Through this fund, the U.S. promotes and strengthens regional institutions, legal structures, and development strategies to ensure the equitable utilization and benefit of basin resources. Activities are under way with a wide range of partners in the Nile, Niger, Senegal, Mekong, and Rio Frio river basins.

(end fact sheet)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

Return to Public File Main Page

Return to Public Table of Contents