Workshop on the Strategic Action Programme for Prespa

Ecosystem management and sustainable development interventions in the Prespa Lakes Basin are not at their  infancy. In the year 2000, a joint tri-lateral Prime-ministerial declaration between the three States marked the birth of this first transboundary Park in the Balkans, and ten years later, on Feb 2 2010, the transboundary cooperation was formalized with the Agreement on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Prespa Park Area.

Within the framework of the transboundary UNDP GEF Prespa project, the three States have committed to jointly develop a new Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the Prespa Lakes Basin. The process was launched in August 2008. A TDA was instrumental tool/approach adopted by the GEF towards the development of a SAP.

The purpose of this workshop is to present and discuss the first draft of the SAP for Prespa. This SAP is also fully supportive of and integrates a recent ‘Joint Agreement’ signed by the three countries to manage and protect the Prespa Park Area as well as other activities implemented earlier by the three countries. This SAP has been prepared following the guidance prepared by GEF International Waters and implemented in many transboundary seas, rivers, lake and aquifers globally. The approach has been adapted to include the terrestrial ecosystem as well as the aquatic environment.