{"id":3550,"date":"2020-04-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gwpo-gwp.org\/mediterranean\/news\/developing-strategic-action-for-the-management-of-the-drin-basin\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T15:36:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T14:36:20","slug":"developing-strategic-action-for-the-management-of-the-drin-basin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gwpo-gwp.org\/mediterranean\/news\/developing-strategic-action-for-the-management-of-the-drin-basin\/","title":{"rendered":"Developing strategic action for the management of the Drin Basin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"Paragraph  BCX0 SCXW51917169\"><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">Development&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">of a&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><strong>Strategic Action Programme (SAP)<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">for the Drin Basin&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">has&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">been achieved&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">following extensive consultation<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">&nbsp;led by GWP-Med<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">&nbsp;under the GEF Drin Project<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">,<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">&nbsp;involving<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">more than&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">200&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">stakeholders from&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun Highlight  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">Albania, Greece, Kosovo*<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun Highlight  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">, Montenegro and North Macedonia.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun Highlight  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"OutlineElement Ltr  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">\n<p class=\"Paragraph  BCX0 SCXW51917169\"><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">The SAP<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">, a&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">negotiated<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">document,&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">comprises specific actions and interventions, agreed upon by all Riparian\u2019s, to imp<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">rove&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">management of the Drin<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">&nbsp;Basin.&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun Highlight  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">Stakeholders&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun Highlight  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">consulted in the development of the SAP include<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun Highlight  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun Highlight  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">Ministry representatives<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun Highlight  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">&nbsp;and technical experts in the region.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"OutlineElement Ltr  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">\n<p class=\"Paragraph  BCX0 SCXW51917169\"><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">The Drin Basin is home to 1.6 million people&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">who stand to&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">benefit from i<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">mproved management of the Basin<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">,<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">following&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">the SA<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">P\u2019s<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">&nbsp;implementation<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">. The Drin B<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">asin\u2019s water resources are&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">used for&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">many purposes including&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">drinking, fishing, agriculture, tourism, electricity and industry<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><span class=\"EOP  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph  BCX0 SCXW51917169\"><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">The SAP&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">reaffirms&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">and builds upon&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">the&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">existing<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">shared&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">vision for the Drin Basin as set out in the<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><em><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">Drin Memorandum of Understanding<\/span><\/em><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">&nbsp;signed&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">by the Riparians&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"TextRun  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-contrast=\"none\">in 2011.<\/span><span class=\"EOP  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\"> <br><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph  BCX0 SCXW51917169\"><span class=\"EOP  BCX0 SCXW51917169\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/gwpo-gwp.org\/mediterranean\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/04\/16-november-8862-1-1.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1200\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Drin Core Group -the coordinating body for the Drin Basin- formed of officially appointed representatives of the Riparians Ministries (for which GWP-Med is Secretariat), has approved the SAP. The process concludes this week with the signing of a Joint Statement for the endorsement of the SAP by high-level representatives, in each of the Riparian Ministries, confirming their intention to implement the actions of the SAP.<\/p>\n<p>By negotiating and endorsing the SAP at the highest possible level, the governments are indicating the priorities for the Riparians as well as the political will to enact these through coordinated efforts.<\/p>\n<p>Once the endorsement of the SAP is signed, the priority is to identify sources of funding to implement this. The SAP will provide the main reference document for years to come, to inform the coordinated management of the Drin Basin.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/gwpo-gwp.org\/mediterranean\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/04\/17th-drin-core-group-meeting-1-1.jpg\" height=\"954\" width=\"1696\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"u-thin\">The 17th Drin Core Group Meeting, 30 &#8211; 31 May 2019, Prishtina.<\/p>\n<p>The development of the SAP was underpinned by a <b>Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA)<\/b> carried out by GWP-Med under the GEF Drin Project in 2017-18. The TDA is an objective assessment that pursues the best available verified scientific and technical information to examine the state of the environment and the root causes for its degradation. The analysis was carried out in a cross-sectoral manner, focusing on transboundary problems, while also taking into account national concerns and priorities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\">The main technical role of the TDA is to identify, quantify, and set priorities for environmental problems that are transboundary in nature.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\">The TDA provided the factual basis for the formulation of the SAP.<\/p>\n<p>The Drin TDA adopted a \u2018source-to-sea\u2019 approach to analyse the causes and impacts of transboundary problems in the Drin Basin, informed by extensive consultation and six detailed thematic reports on:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Biodiversity<\/li>\n<li>Pollution<\/li>\n<li>Hydrology<\/li>\n<li>Institutional and Legal Setting<\/li>\n<li>Socio-economics<\/li>\n<li>Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems Nexus<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The TDA identified the main transboundary issues affecting the Drin Basin as:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Deterioration of water quality<\/li>\n<li>Variability of the hydrological regime<\/li>\n<li>Biodiversity degradation<\/li>\n<li>Sediment transport<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Each of these issues are likely to be exacerbated by climate variability and change.<\/p>\n<p>The specific actions set out in the SAP acts as a framework to address these important issues.<\/p>\n<p>The Drin TDA assisted in enhancing the knowledge basis of the Drin Riparians and developed the building blocks of a Drin Basin Management Plan, in accordance to the European Union Water Framework Directive, should the Riparians decide to develop such a plan in the future.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<\/p>\n[1] All references to Kosovo are made in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/gwpo-gwp.org\/mediterranean\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/04\/16-november-8839-1.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1200\"><\/p>\n<p>Scenery photo credits: 2S Studio<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GWP-Med leads development of Strategic Action Programme for Drin Basin<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6181,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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leads development of Strategic Action Programme for Drin 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