In June, the Amazon Basin Project (OTCA/UNEP/GEF) took an important step towards implementing integrated and sustainable water resources management in the Amazon region. In partnership with the Hydrometeorological Service of the Ministry of Agriculture of Guyana, it held a workshop and stakeholder consultation on the 27th and 28th to assess and strengthen the current institutional and legal framework for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the country, consolidating strategies for the integration of water resources management and considering the gender perspective at national and basin levels.
With the participation of around 50 representatives from various institutions, including government agencies, NGOs, community, women’s and indigenous people, the workshop promoted the active engagement of participants through presentations, working sessions and plenaries.
The Chief Hydromet Officer, Dr. Garvin Cummings, opened the event by asking participants to take ownership of the work being developed, as it will see a new outlook for Guyana, in which actionable steps can be taken to manage water resources at the national level, through a participatory and inclusive approach.
Before the working groups were formed, the participants watched a detailed presentation by Professor Paulette Bynoe (Institutional Specialist) on the current institutional and legal structure of the IWRM in Guyana. Professor Bynoe urged those present to identify and recommend strategies for developing a roadmap with the necessary administrative, institutional, legal and financial actions. She further pointed out: “To improve water management in the country and achieve resilience, we need to have the enabling framework, the enabling environment, so we have to start by looking at our legislation and our institutional framework”.
The overall results of the workshop were significant and focused on several essential areas for the sustainable management of water resources. Participants supported the development of clear and objective recommendations which were documented for the institutional strengthening of IWRM. Some of the key areas identified include the need to strengthen the water policy framework and renew the existing institutional structure and mechanisms.
The working groups also systematized the steps for consolidating the new water management structure in Guyana inclusive of the gender perspective and information management in Guyana. All of this work will support the creation of a Roadmap of actions to implement the necessary legislative, administrative and regulatory reforms.
The event was a milestone in consolidating an integrated and participatory approach to water management in Guyana, ensuring that the policies and strategies developed are inclusive and sustainable for the future of the country and the Amazon ecosystem.
