International Consultant - Transboundary Water Management (United Nations Development Programme)

The Prespa region is situated in the Balkan Peninsula and is shared among the three neighboring countries Albania, FYR Macedonia and Greece. It is considered to be an ecosystem of global significance and has been identified as one of Europe’s major trans-boundary “ecological bricks”. The entire Prespa Region hosts unique habitats that are important from both European and global conservation perspective.

 

However, unsustainable agricultural, fisheries, water and forest management practices as well as use of non-timber forest products is causing stresses on the ecosystem health of the Prespa Basin. The awareness of local communities and beneficiaries on the values of the natural resources and the importance of sustainable use of the resources is very low. Also there is limited knowledge on environmental protection/conservation issues among the decision makers and the general population, and lack of streamlined information available for the interested parties.

 

The aim of the GEF Prespa Regional Project is to mainstream ecosystem management objectives and priorities into productive sector practices and policies. The project is designed to strengthen capacity for restoring ecosystem health and conserving biodiversity at the local, national and trans-boundary level in the three riparian countries in the Prespa region by piloting ecosystem-oriented approaches to spatial planning, water use management, agriculture, forest and fishery management, and conservation and protected area management.

 

Within the framework of this transboundary GEF project, the three States have committed to jointly addressing the critical water management issues in the Prespa Lakes basin.

 

In line with the principles of Integrated River Basin Management contained within the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), the consultant will conduct a rapid situational analysis of the current state of water management practices, the status of the enabling environment and develop and a clear and concise Terms of Reference and implementation plan for the proposed Prespa Working Group on Water Management (PWGWM).

 

• Conduct a rapid assessment and prepare a situational analysis on the ‘state-of-play’ in terms of current water management practices in the Prespa Lakes Basin both at national and transboundary levels. It is expected that this rapid assessment would include (but not limited) to the following:
• A rapid review of the current or recently completed efforts/projects with a particular emphasis on water management issues in the Prespa Basic
• Progress with regard to approximation of national water related legislation in line with the WFD requirements in FYR-Macedonia and Albania.
• Progress in implementation of the WFD in Greece (especially with regard to TB Water issues in the Prespa context) highlighting lessons learnt.
• Prepare a detailed Terms of Reference for the proposed PWGWM including recommendations for membership of this working group in consideration of the current situation (based on above assessment) and proposed role as identified within the project document.
• Prepare detailed implementation plan with realistic milestones and targets with the medium-term aim of reaching an agreement on targets for water management in consideration of the available financial resources and timelines within the GEF project. 
• Further specify the critical role of the existing Prespa Park Coordination Committee and other key stakeholders in facilitating the process of transboundary water management.
• Provide information on additional possible financial sources that could support this process and the work of the PWGWM.  
• In consultation with UNDP, and based on available financial resources, develop a Terms of Reference for a part-time international expert that would be responsible for facilitating the functioning of the PWGWM over the time-frame of the project.

 

Application Deadline: 29-May-08.