The Strategic Action Program has been designed to be implemented through a portfolio of projects corresponding to the Strategic Actions that address the priority transboundary issues identified in the Regional Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA). To facilitate the SAP implementation process and the joint establishment of protocols, regulations, and regional activities, the Strategic Actions have been grouped into six thematic areas, considering the synergy among them:

  • Regional Monitoring
  • Planning and Management
  • Adaptation
  • Protection
  • Community Social Technologies

  • Knowledge and Awareness Raising

The first projects are being implemented through National Focal Points designated by the Member Countries and with the participation of multiple stakeholders at the local, national, and regional levels.

Citizen participation in decision-making is fundamental in project implementation because, according to accumulated evidence, it can improve the quality and acceptance of the resulting decisions and is a tool for poverty reduction. For this reason, each project under implementation includes a process of mobilization and informed citizen participation of the basin’s collective social actors, ensuring ownership of the SAP and providing a lasting and sustainable mechanism for the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the region.

Portafolio de proyectos

Amazon Basin Project - SAP Implementation

Since 2021, the Strategic Action Program (SAP) is being implemented through the Amazon Basin Project, aiming to establish an innovative governance model for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the region. The project objectives also include building community resilience, protecting aquatic ecosystems from climate change, monitoring water resources and ecosystems through a regional environmental monitoring system, and continuously evaluating the SAP's implementation.

By 2025, the Amazon Basin Project plans to implement 17 intervention projects and regional activities in the region. These projects are carried out by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) in collaboration with the eight Member Countries, with implementation support from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

These projects are implemented through National Focal Points designated by the countries, with the participation of various stakeholders at the local, national, and regional levels.

Amazonas Project

The Amazonas Project: Regional Action in the Area of Water Resources, as part of South-South Cooperation, supports the implementation of the Strategic Action Program (SAP) by enhancing integration and technical cooperation among the Member Countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), which includes Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Its primary objective is to enhance water resources management in the Amazon Basin, promoting a more balanced distribution of capacities among the institutions involved in this area.

Implemented by the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA) of Brazil and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (ABC/MRE), with support from the Brazilian Geological Survey (CPRM), the project operates in the framework of ACTO, with the participation of the National Water Agencies and other water sector institutions of the Member Countries.

The Project "Towards a Better Understanding of the Amazonian Aquifer Systems for their Protection and Sustainable Management"

The Project "Towards a Better Understanding of the Amazonian Aquifer Systems for their Protection and Sustainable Management" is a collaborative effort between the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The primary objective of this project is to enhance the integrated management of groundwater in the Amazon region and strengthen existing regional governance structures. This initiative aims to improve water security for the population and enhance the resilience of the region's ecosystems. Central to this objective is the need to develop a comprehensive understanding of the Amazon Aquifer Systems (AAS), whose full extent and dynamics remain unknown.

By advancing technical and scientific knowledge related to the AAS, the project aims to formulate a Strategic Action Program, facilitate transboundary cooperation, and support coordinated groundwater management efforts at both regional and national levels. Moreover, through pilot projects, the initiative anticipates providing direct benefits in terms of water supply to approximately 2,255 inhabitants in the region. Additionally, it aims to positively impact approximately 3,650 hectares by promoting sustainable practices and safeguarding aquifer resources. These endeavors will be undertaken through a collaborative management approach encompassing the entire Amazon basin.

Transboundary Action Plan for Water, Basic Sanitation and Solid Waste

The Transboundary Action Plan for Water, Sanitation, and Solid Waste is a collaborative initiative between the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Its primary objective is to enhance the integrated management of water resources in the region, with a particular emphasis on improving water quality. This will be achieved through strategic planning aimed at providing essential services such as drinking water, basic sanitation, and solid waste management to the population, with the overarching goal of reducing structural inequalities in these domains.

To achieve this objective, the Action Plan outlines the following key measures:
- Enhancing understanding of the region to inform actions related to the provision of drinking water, basic sanitation, and solid waste management services.
- Developing a strategic plan for investments in essential services.
- Creating tools to facilitate the modernization and innovation of water and sanitation systems.
- Identifying and addressing disparities in access to water and sanitation services, with a focus on mitigating inequalities within the region.

NEXUS Project - Development of a Hydrological Platform and Simulation Models of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus for the Amazon Basin

The NEXUS Project, a collaborative effort between the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), focuses on the Development of a Hydrological Platform and Simulation Models of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus for the Amazon Basin. This initiative aims to support the implementation of the Strategic Action Program (SAP) through the creation and utilization of quantitative modeling tools.

The modeling tools play a critical role in facilitating an integrated, multisectoral planning process, grounded in the water-energy-food nexus approach. They enable exploration of various physical, environmental, and socio-economic planning scenarios across the Amazon Basin, tailored to the specific needs and interests of member countries.

Embracing a nexus approach in the Amazon Basin is essential for understanding the intricate interactions among the water, energy, and food sectors, alongside the corresponding planning and developmental challenges within the region. These challenges encompass climate change, changes in land use, urbanization, demographic shifts, production systems, and environmental conservation.

Given the complexity and interdependence of these factors, conventional sectoral planning approaches fall short in addressing the multifaceted issues of the Amazon Basin. A systemic approach is imperative, one that acknowledges the interactions and interdependencies among diverse sectors, levels, and stakeholders involved.