International Waters learning Exchange & Resource Network

Integration of the component parts of the SAP

The various workshops, meetings and consultations conducted during the SAP development will have produced a great deal of material including:

  • Documents
    • The Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis
    • Thematic reports

  • Workshop Outputs
    • A full list of leverage points with appropriate reference back to the TDA
    • The vision statement
    • Finalised goals
    • Country agreed options and alternatives
    • Action plan outputs
    • M & E indicators
    • Country integration/implementation strategies
    • Legal and Institutional Frameworks

All this information now needs to be integrated into one document. The integration of this material should be conducted under the supervision of the Project Manager and staff of the Project Management Unit but the process is generally carried out in one of two ways:

  • The appointment of a consultant, specialist, academic, or a consultancy to act as a single author reporting to the Project Manager (e.g. Lake Chad SAP, Nubian Aquifer SAP)
  • Appointment of key SAP development team members to draft individual Chapters of the SAP, with an appointed Manager acting as a focal point reporting to the Project Manager (e.g. Black Sea SAP, Dnipro River Basin SAP, Rio de la Plata TDA

Both approaches work: appointing an individual or consultancy to draft the SAP is generally quicker and more efficient but there is a loss of stakeholder involvement and collaboration. Conversely, drafting the SAP using a team can be more demanding on time, funds and energy but is generally a more collaborative process.