Inception Meeting of the Preparation Phase of the GEF project

10.45

Welcome – Opening Remarks

- Mr Denis Grabocka, Member of DCG, Head of GIS Sector, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration

- H.E Mr Stevo Temelkovski, Deputy Minister of Environment and Physical Planning

- Mr Andrej Lakic, Adviser, Directorate for International Cooperation, Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism

- Ms Fatlije Buza, Officer for Water Quality, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning

- Ms Yesim Oruc, Country Director, UNDP Office in Tirana

- Mr Bo Libert, Regional Advisor on Environment, Environment Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

- Mr Vangelis Constantianos, Executive Secretary, Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean

11.15

Tour de table

11.25

Purpose of the Meeting

Mr Vladimir Mamaev, Regional Technical Advisor, Europe and the CIS, United Nations Development Programme

11.45

The context: The management of the Drin Basin and its sub-basins

11.35 – 12.30  Water resources management in the Drin Basin: action at the sub-basin and the national levels

This session outlined the management status in the parts of the Drin Basin extending in each of the 5 Drin Riparians. Representatives of the competent Ministries of each of the Riparians provided an overview of on-going and/or planned activities for the management of the Drin Basin.

Presentations were followed by questions and reflection from the participants.

- Lake Prespa, Lake Ohrid and Black Drin sub-basins

Mr Dejan Panovski, Secretariat of the Lake Ohrid Bilateral Watershed Committee / Head - Black Drin Basin management authority 

Mr Dimitar Sekovski , UNDP Office in Skopje 

12.00

Coffee Break

- Lake Ohrid, Lake Prespa, Drin River, Lake Shkoder, Buna River sub-basins

Ms. Viola Saliaga, Expert, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration 

- Lake Skadar and Bojana River sub-basins

Mr Andrei Lakic, Advisor, Directorate for International Cooperation, Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism 

Mr Radosav Rasovic, Senior Advisor, Directorate for Water, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development 

- White Drin River sub-basin

Ms Fatlije Buza, Officer for Water Quality, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning 

Discussion

13.35

Lunch Break

14.40 – 15.00  Main water resources related management issues at the Drin Basin level

- Mr Dimitris Faloutsos, Programme Coordinator for Southeastern Europe, Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean 

15.00 – 15.15  The Drin Memorandum of Understanding; Coordinated action for the sustainable management of the Drin Basin

- Mr Bo Libert, Regional Adviser on Environment, Environment Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe 

15.15

The GEF project “Enabling Transboundary Cooperation and Integrated Water Resources Management in the Extended Drin River Basin”

15.15 – 15.25  The Aim, Structure, Objectives and Expected outcomes of the Project

- Mr Dimitris Faloutsos, Programme Coordinator for Southeastern Europe, Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean 

15.25 – 15.30  Interlinkages between the GEF Drin project and the Action plan for the implementation of the Drin MoU

- Mr Dimitris Faloutsos, Programme Coordinator for Southeastern Europe, Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean 

15.30

Coffee Break

15.50 – 16.20  The Project Preparation Phase: Setup and arrangements

- Mr Andrea Merla, International Consultant for the development of the project document, United Nations Development Programme 

- Process for the development of a GEF full size project document

- Aims and objectives of the preparation phase

- Workplan - Timeline of activities

- Management arrangements - Roles and Responsibilities

- Stakeholder consultation plan

- Mr Vladimir Mamaev, Regional Technical Advisor, Europe and the CIS, United Nations Development Programme

16.20 – 16.35 The Project Preparation Phase: Key considerations that should be taken into account during the preparation phase

Discussion in plenary

20.00

Dinner

09.00

Support of the international community for the management of the Drin basin and its sub-basins – potential synergies with the GEF project

Representatives of the international community presented on-going and planned projects for the management of the Drin Basin and its sub-basins with the aim to identify potential synergies with the GEF Drin project. A discussion on the potential synergies followed.

- Initiatives and projects supported by the GIZ

Mr Hermann J. Plumm,  Programme Director, Water Sector Reform; Coordinator Water and Environment, GIZ Office in Tirana  

- Initiatives and projects supported by the KfW

Mr René Eschemann, Director, KfW Office in Tirana and Prishtina 

- Initiatives and projects supported by the Italian Cooperation

Mr Giacomo Pides, Programme Officer, Italian Cooperation Office in Tirana 

Initiatives and projects supported by the UNDP

- Ms Yesim Oruc, Country Director, UNDP Office in Tirana 

- Ms Anita Kodzoman, Programme Officer and Head of Energy and Environment Unit, UNDP Office in Skopje 

- Ms Jovana Jovovic, Disaster Risk Reduction and Second National Communication Assistant, UNDP Office in Podgorica 

Discussion

10.20

Wrap up and conclusions