Coordination mechanisms
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Summary
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Lessons Learned
Effective co-ordination mechanisms
A key issue in effective water governance is the creation of effective co-ordination mechanisms between different agencies. Fragmented and shared responsibilities are a reality and are always likely to exist. The simple act of putting all water functions within one agency, inter alia, will not necessarily remove conflicts of interest, and can result in the loss of transparency.
Coordination mechanisms could consist of a range of entities such as high-level steering groups within national governments, inter-agency task forces (for specific purposes, e.g. water pollution control), and international consortia for the management of water resources. The creation of coordination mechanisms can free water allocation decisions from being driven solely by sectoral interests, enabling more strategic allocation. Putting together i.e. an inter-ministerial steering group-preferably supported by a management team of qualified professionals-can help create joint ownership of the strategy across sectors and help enact the reforms adopted. Experience with GEF-supported programs to test integrated land and water resources management processes in a number of river basins around the world, for example, suggests that national inter-ministerial committees can play active roles in these processes, not simply approving finished plans and strategies but in fact taking a role in steering the process.
Because the steering committee does play such an important role in the success of a strategy, choice of members needs to weigh both level of influence and commitment to the process. The same steering group might also monitor implementation progress and be held to account to a higher authority. A high-quality management team should be identified early in the formulation process. The inter-sectoral cooperation is a theme that is not often applied in water resource management. In the case of Colombia, however, this inter-sectoral process has influenced national water policies at high level in a more integrated manner. In 2000, the Ministries of Economic development, Health, Agriculture and Rural Development signed a Joint Working Agenda with the objective of cooperation and thus improve the governance and quality of the delivery of basic services of water and sanitation in rural areas. In order to ensure the objectives were realized, various procedures and organisms were established, such as the National Environmental Council (Consejo Nacional Ambiental), the Regulating Commission for Services (La Comisi=F3n Reguladora de Servicios), and Technical Working Committees (Los Comit=E9s T=E9cnicos de Trabajo). In these committees the ministries are represented by high level officials and they meet frequently to evaluate the advances in the agendas, to revise priorities, etc. In Mexico, the formation of the National Water Commission (CNA) under the Ministry of Environment has proved to be one of the keys to dealing with the country's unsustainable groundwater use. Without the power to transcend state boundaries and independence from the powerful farmer voting block, the CNA would not have been able to implement many of the needed groundwater reforms.
Establishing coordination mechanisms
- Successful experience to date in establishing robust and respected coordination mechanisms is limited.
- Establishment of a successful coordinating body can be a slow process, since it takes time for a new body to achieve legitimacy.
- The effectiveness of a coordination mechanisms is linked to the specific political and historical context.
- For coordination mechanisms to function effectively, all the stakeholders who are involved in the functions under its jurisdiction need to develop commitment to ensure it has appropriate powers. Conflict management and awareness raising techniques are important here.
Source
Env-Surf Consolidated Reply: Costa Rica / Comparative experiences / Design of Water Governance Programme http://groups.undp.org/read/login/?go=http://groups.undp.org/read/?forum%3Dsurf-env
