Stakeholders meet to review objectives and progress of regional programmes of the Danube–Black Sea’s project.

Participants proposed measures to streamline efficient implementation of the GEF Black Sea-Danube Strategic Partnership.

In 2001 the Global Environment Facility launched one of its largest interventions in the area of International Waters — the GEF Black Sea/Danube Strategic Partnership. This partnership reached its midpoint and a Danube-Black Sea Stocktaking Meeting was organized in Bucharest on November 10—12, 2004.

The meeting brought together the major stakeholders of the partnership in this region, including representatives of the ICPDR and the Black Sea Commission from the Danube and the Black Sea countries, the GEF, World Bank, UN organisations and NGOs. A total of 90 participants were present to review the progress of the partnership and the results obtained so far, to identify and analyse problems and obstacles to implementation as well as to discuss future activities.

Through presentations and working group sessions, participants identified issues and proposed measures to streamline the efficient implementation of the partnership’s objectives and to reinforce the cooper-ation in the region in the coming three years further.

The participants acknowledged the usefulness of the meeting and commended the constructive coopera-tion of all stakeholders in identifying problems and in proposing solutions. Alfred Duda, Lead Environmental Specialist at the GEF Secretariat, underlined the positive results of the meeting as a “precondition for moving forward” in the Danube—Black Sea Strategic Partnership. It was further recognised that efforts must be taken to make the Strategic Partnership a living instrument of regional cooperation.

Source: Danube Regional Project.
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