Brazil assumed the presidency of the Amazon Network of Water Authorities (RADA) for the 2026–2028 term during the network’s 4th Meeting, held on May 15 in Brasília at the headquarters of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO). The new term will focus on the institutional consolidation of ANWA and the strengthening of regional actions for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the Amazon.
The new president of ANWA is Larissa Rêgo, director of the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA). In her message to the OTCA Member Countries, she emphasized that cooperation, trust, and technical coordination among Amazonian countries will be fundamental to strengthening water governance and the region’s climate resilience in the coming years.
“RADA is now entering a new phase, focused on consolidating the regional instruments already established and strengthening cooperation among Amazonian countries to address common challenges related to water, climate, and regional monitoring,” she stated.
Larissa Rêgo also acknowledged the progress achieved under Bolivia’s presidency during the 2024–2026 period, including the institutional consolidation of the network, the approval of RADA’s regulations, the creation of the Technical Support Panel (PTA), the strengthening of the Amazon Training Plan, and the adoption of regional protocols for hydrological monitoring and water quality.
According to the new presidency, this institutional foundation will enable progress toward a new phase focused on the practical implementation of regional initiatives, the strengthening of Amazonian cooperation, and the consolidation of technical tools developed within the network.
Viviana Mariscal, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Irrigation, Drinking Water, and Basic Sanitation at Bolivia’s Ministry of Rural Development and Land, emphasized in her closing remarks as Bolivia’s presidency concluded that regional cooperation is essential to ensure the protection and sustainable management of the Amazon’s shared water resources.
According to the Bolivian official, Bolivia’s presidency helped consolidate RADA as a permanent forum for regional coordination on the integrated management of Amazonian waters, strengthening technical dialogue and coordination among member countries.
Viviana Mariscal also thanked the Permanent Secretariat of ACTO, the Amazon Basin Project, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the partner institutions that supported the process, while wishing Brazil success in leading RADA’s new presidency.
Priorities for the new cycle
The work plan presented by Brazil for the 2026–2028 cycle sets as priorities the continuation of the Amazon Training Plan, the strengthening of regional water resource monitoring actions, the exchange of hydrometeorological information, the updating of the Strategic Action Program (PAE), and the detailed consolidation and future adoption of the White Paper on the role of ACTO in regional cooperation for IWRM in the Amazon Basin.
Among the topics considered most strategic is the regional sharing of hydrometeorological data. According to Brazil, this agenda is essential for strengthening water governance in the Amazon, supporting the operation of the Amazon Regional Observatory, and expanding regional capacity to respond to extreme water- and climate-related events.
During the meeting, Member Countries were also briefed on progress regarding the Integrated Regional Information Platform on IWRM, the launch of the Amazon Aquifer Systems (SAA) Project, the preparation of the GEF Fisheries Project, and the formulation of the GCF-IDB Project, highlighting the importance of strengthening regional coordination and the sustainability of these initiatives.
Another topic discussed was the ACTO Amazon Cooperation and Action Mechanism for the Amazon (MACA), regarding which Member Countries requested priority attention for issues related to IWRM and the implementation of the Program of Strategic Actions for the Integrated Management of Water Resources in the Amazon Basin (PAE).
Water Authorities also highlighted the results of the Regional Financing Workshop held on May 13, within the framework of the Amazon Basin Project, emphasizing the importance of advancing the mobilization of resources to support the implementation of regional monitoring protocols.
White Paper to Guide Regional Cooperation
One of the main outcomes of the 4th RADA Meeting was the adoption, in general terms, of the White Paper “The Role of ACTO in Regional Cooperation for Integrated Water Resources Management in the Amazon Region/Basin.”
The document is being developed as a strategic guiding instrument to strengthen regional cooperation in the integrated management of Amazonian waters and consolidate RADA’s position at the regional and international levels. Among its main pillars are the principles of regional cooperation, institutional coordination mechanisms, strengthening of technical cooperation, and actions linked to the PAE.
The Water Authorities instructed the Technical Support Panel (PTA) to advance the process of reviewing and conducting a detailed technical consolidation of the White Paper over the coming months, for its adoption by RADA at a specific meeting on the topic.
At the end of the meeting, the Water Authorities reaffirmed the importance of RADA as a permanent regional mechanism for coordination and cooperation for IWRM in the Amazon and highlighted the White Paper as a strategic tool to guide this new phase of institutional strengthening and regional coordination.
