Declaration on the management of the extended Drin Basin
We, the ministers and high level representatives of the countries participating in the Drin Dialogue, participating in the regional conference for the "Integrated River Basin management – platform for sharing of experience"; aware of the fact that the Drin River is the connecting agent of an extended watershed and a system of shared water bodies and an adjacent sea, the Adriatic, linking them into a large ecosystem of major importance; recognising the development potential of the Drin Basin; stressing the joint responsibility in water protection and ecosystem preservations well as sustainable management of water resources for the benefit of present and future generations; emphasising the need for an integrated approach in achieving sustainable development in the region; aware of the importance of the existing partnership initiative and cooperation framework such as the Drin Dialogue initiated in 2009 and conducted in the frameworks of the UNECE Water Convention and the Petersberg Phase II / Athens Declaration Process; bearing in mind the opportunities offered by related activities for the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Millennium Development Goals as well as regional initiative such as ENV SEC; recognising the importance of compliance with the provisions of the existing related legislative framework on EU, regional and international level (e.g. EU Water Framework Directive and the UNECE Water Convention); being aware of the fact that efforts to protect, maintain and sustainably manage the water resources of the Drin Basin can not be achieved by one country alone but require regional cooperation, as an added value of trans-boundary cooperation; convinced of the need for promoting adequate institutional arrangements and capacity building for integrated water management in the region; recognizing the crucial role and contribution which the examples of cooperation schemes among riparians that have been established for some of its parts namely the
Lakes (Prespa, Ohrid and Skadar/Shkoder) can promote and achieve integrated water management in the region;
hereby declare to strive to
support the continuation and enhancement of the work under the Drin Dialogue and the preparation of the Shared Vision for the management of the Drin Basin; promote the importance of such a Vision crystallizing the views and aspirations of the stakeholders in our countries and thus be willing to negotiate and adopt the related document during the Consultation meeting on transboundary level, planned for October 2011; appreciate the work of the Drin Core Group as an informal body for the coordination of the riparian countries for the needs of the Dialogue; continue and enhance its work as a basis for a future coordination framework among the countries and other parties for the sustainable management of the Drin Basin; integrate the principles and obligations derived from existing multilateral environmental agreements and EU legislation where appropriate in relevant national and regional strategies; urge UNECE and the GWP-Med to continue providing their technical support and facilitation; request Global Environment Facility (GEF) to look positively on the proposal for a future GEF project for the Drin Basin, submitted by the countries in the basin eligible for support; ensure our Government’s participation within their possibilities to provide resources and call upon and invite the EU, other donors and relevant international organizations, in particularly those already present in the region, to join and provide support to the Drin Dialogue and the related activities. Done at Ohrid, on 18 April 2011 Adopted by: - Minister Fatmir Mediu, for the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Water Administration, Albania
- Minister Nexhati Jakupi, for the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, FYR Macedonia - Minister Dardan Gashi, for the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, Kosovo - Dr. Eleimon Tiligadas, General Director, for the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Greece (representing Minister Ms Tina Birbili)