Transformative actions and impacts for the water and ocean SDGs: The GEF IW response to the global challenge

The Global Environment Facility Biennial International Waters Conference (IWC) is the key learning and exchange event for projects funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in the focal area of International Waters.

The GEF’s International Waters (IW) focal area has a unique mandate to support transboundary cooperation shared marine and freshwater ecosystems. It is the world’s largest funding mechanism for multi-country collaboration on freshwater and the ocean.

The nine previous conferences were held in Morocco, Sri Lanka, Barbados, Croatia, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, China, and Hungary.

The 2024 IWC resumes after 6 years, in its 10^th edition, hosted by the Government of Uruguay, in Punta del Este, under the theme: "Transformative actions and impacts for the water and ocean SDGs: The GEF IW response to the global challenge", to reunite the IW portfolio and celebrate 30 years of the GEF IW focal area.  

It brings together more than 300 participants, including GEF IW project managers, institutional stakeholders from beneficiary countries, non-governmental and civil society organizations, transboundary and regional management institutions, UN agencies, Development Banks and Intergovernmental Organisations, and the private sector. Collectively they represent approximately 100 active GEF IW projects, from 80 countries and various GEF Agencies which aim to facilitate cross-sectoral and portfolio-wide learning & experience sharing. It is an interactive training and experience-sharing event, where we discuss challenges, highlight solutions and showcase good practices.  Furthermore, this conference summarizes the impact achieved and generates ideas for new projects.

For more information on the upcoming IWC, please visit  IWC10.