Protecting the globally important watershed under threat and promoting the sustainable use of water as a strategic resource are two of the six reasons why the Amazon countries developed the Strategic Action Program (SAP) for the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the Amazon Basin. Other pressing issues, such as the need to provide collective responses to the rapid degradation of water, land and biodiversity, as well as to strengthen the capacity of the basin population to adapt to the impacts of climate variability, catalyzed this process which focuses on cooperation and joint action, as expressed in the objectives of the ACTO Amazon Strategic Cooperation Agenda and aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The SAP was developed within the framework of the GEF Amazon Project: Integrated and Sustainable Management of Transboundary Water Resources in the Amazon River Basin Considering Climate Variability and Change Project (ACTO/UNEP/GEF). Providing a platform for political and technical dialogue and South-South cooperation, ACTO executed the Project contributing to strengthening the links between Amazonian countries with a view to build integrated and sustainable water management in the Amazon Region.
The development of the Strategic Action Program (SAP) for Integrated Water Resources Management in the Amazon Basin was a collaborative effort undertaken by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) Member Countries. This comprehensive program rests on three key pillars that lay the foundation for its implementation and success.
First and foremost, the countries jointly established a Shared Vision for Integrated Water Resources Management and sustainable development in the Amazon Basin. This vision served as a guiding framework, articulating the collective aspirations and goals of the region with regards to water resource management and environmental sustainability.
Secondly, a Regional Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) was conducted to systematically identify and assess the priority transboundary problems facing the Amazon Basin. Through extensive stakeholder engagement and 11 participatory workshops held across the eight countries, the root causes and environmental and socioeconomic impacts of nine priority problems were thoroughly analyzed and documented.
Building upon the Shared Vision and the findings of the TDA, the SAP was meticulously developed, outlining a strategic framework comprising actions and strategies aimed at addressing the identified challenges and achieving the objectives set forth in the Shared Vision. The SAP also integrated insights and recommendations from various studies and pilot projects conducted under the auspices of the GEF Amazon Project and other initiatives spearheaded by ACTO.
The formal approval of the SAP by the governments of ACTO Member Countries in 2017 represented a crucial milestone, underscoring national, regional, and international commitment to its implementation. Since then, concerted efforts have been underway to advance the SAP’s objectives and initiatives, with the Amazon Basin Project serving as a primary vehicle for its implementation across the eight Amazon countries. Additionally, other regional initiatives coordinated by ACTO, as well as national programs and projects, have complemented and reinforced the SAP’s implementation efforts, collectively working towards the socioeconomic development and environmental conservation of the Amazon Basin.
