RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• STEP 1 PREPARATION
• CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
• (Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania)
• Presented by Diana Iskreva, Oct. 2002

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• STEP 1 PREPARATION
• Activities
• Selection of three countries (Bulgaria,
  Macedonia, Romania)
• Selection of key informants and contact national
  experts
• Identification of available documentation
• Identification of national consultants
• Meeting with key informants and consultants
  (WSSCC support)
• Planning short visits
• Short country visits.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• STEP 1 PREPARATION
• Results
• Initial country survey on WSS sector
• List of information needs and knowledge gaps of
  different stakeholders
• List of institutions, organizations,
  professionals
• Initial contacts as a base for future
  partnerships
• Country visits.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Initial Survey on Water Supply and Sanitation
  Sector
• (Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania)

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• General Country Information
• Bulgaria
• 111,000 sq.km
• 7.9 million, 70 urban (2001)
• Climate from temperate to Mediterranean
• Mean natural river flow 19.5 billion cubic meters
  per year
• More than 2000 dams, capacity 6.6 billion cubic
  meters.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• General Country Information
• Macedonia
• 25,713 sq.km
• 1.9 million, 59 urban (1994)
• Climate semiarid
• Three large freshwater lakes.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• General Country Information
• Romania
• 238,391 sq.km
• 22.4 million, 55 urban (2000)
• Climate temperate
• Internal rivers 78.905 km in length
• 1,500 dams (capacity 13 billion cubic meters),
  2,000 km of canals
• The Danube 1,075 km.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Overview of water supply and sanitation
  sector
• Common Features
• Poor water resources versus high water
  consumption
• Neglected sanitation and sewage system
• higher quality of service in cities versus rural
  areas and small towns
• Poorly maintained WS infrastructure high leakage
  rate, intermitted water supply
• Insufficient wastewater treatment
• Lack of alternative approach to specific user
  groups.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Overview of water supply and sanitation
  sector
• Specific Features
• Advanced EU accession process Bulgaria, Romania
• Access to piped drinking water 98 Bulgaria,
  65-66 Macedonia and Romania
• Marginalized minority groups Roma (Bulgaria,
  Romania), Albanians (Macedonia)
• River basin management (Romania, Bulgaria)
• Ownership of WSS systems (public, private)
• War situation, destruction, refugees
  (Macedonia)
• Politization of the sector (Macedonia).

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Goals and Objectives of Water Supply and
  Sanitation Policy
• Rehabilitation and expansion of water supply
  system
• Expansion of sanitation and sewage system
• Rehabilitation and construction of WWTPs
• Adoption/enforcement of legislation for
  integrated water management
• Improved WS management
• Improvement of quality of drinking water and
  drinking water quality control
• Attraction of private investments.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Water and Sanitation Legislative Base
• Harmonizing national legislation with EU acquis
  communautaires
• Number of legislative acts and regulations
  dealing with WS
• National Programs and NEAPs.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Institutions Responsible for Water
  Management
• Various ministries and public bodies involved
• Decentralization and delegation of authorities
• WSS companies public, private, PPPs
• River Basin Directorates
• Role of NGOs and CBOs.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Political Commitment and Societal Support
• Development and implementation of various
  strategies, programs and action plans
• Ratification of a number of conventions
• Adoption of legislation encouraging PPPs and
  private investments
• Mobilizing resources to implement WSS programs
  and projects (urban and rural approaches)
• Citizens participation and public access to
  information.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Integrated Water, Health and Environmental
  Policy
• Integrated approach
• Hygiene control and health protection
• Raising awareness
• Integrated training
• Involving citizens and youth
• Implementation of Local Agenda 21, V21.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Economic, Financial
• and Technological Framework
• Crisis of transition
• Effective use of EU financial instruments, IFIs,
  private investors
• Adoption of innovative and specific approaches
• Allocation of financial means targeted to WSS
• Affordability of services and technologies
• Water tariffs
• Decentralization of public financial instruments
  - delegation responsibilities and rights to local
  governments.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• International Co-operation
• Issues addressed technological, financial,
  capacity building
• Large pilot projects
• Bilateral co-operation with the Netherlands.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Summary of Needs and Gaps of Water Supply and
  Sanitation Sector
• Lack of experience on enforcement of legislation
  with democratic tools in the period of
  transition
• Institutional instability and ineffective
  coordination
• Lack of knowledge and practical experience on
  technical and technological innovations
• Deficiency of resources, including organized
  information
• Lack of experience to involve public in
  decision-making
• Weak citizen participation, limited access to
  information
• Lack of understanding for the need of specific
  approach to disadvantaged groups among
  professionals
• Lack of understanding for the need of gender
  approach.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Summary of Needs of Specific Stakeholders
• Local and national public authorities with new
  responsibilities and desperate need of training,
  skill-share
• Investors lack adequate standard data to access
  the challenges and opportunities
• Decision-makers lack info, skills and experience
  to make informed decisions in market environment
  knowledge and skills to mobilize resources
• Operators lack well organized data base, working
  ITs, experience exchange for better maintenance
  and operation they badly need to develop PR
  skills
• Consumers are to be informed about their rights
  and to develop skills to request information,
  participate in decision-making community
  planning and involvement tools
• Consultants need info pool of lessons learned in
  specific situations related to transition and EU
  accession.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Identified Needs and Gaps to Be Addressed by the
  Centers
• Collection and analysis of data and dissemination
  of information
• Packaging information in a user-friendly manner
• Generation of new knowledge by learning from past
  experience
• Using of new IT to reach larger audience
  web-site
• Developing good strategy and coordination of
  efforts of key national players
• Providing thematic information on experience
  gained
• Proposing information about specific EU accession
  issues
• Proposing solutions to meet the gap between
  policy and legislative framework and practical
  implementation in projects
• Principle of collaboration of the Centers
• Short-term aspects mid-term and long-term
  aspects.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Step 2 Advocacy and Interest-Building
• Activities Foreseen
• Initial meeting with informants and governmental
  officials
• Visits to institutions and donors, and self
  assessment
• Institutional analyses on information
• Workshop on power of information for capacity
  building the role of the resource center
  network
• Implement one visible pilot activity to gain
  recognition
• Publish advocacy document.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Step 2 Advocacy and Interest-Building
• Expected Results
• Information shared
• Interest fomented involving stakeholders and
  identifying a core group of prospective network
  members
• Start of situation analysis
• Participatory identification of further studies.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Step 2 Advocacy and Interest-Building
• Support Needed
• to continue the service they already provide
• to define the best strategic position in the
  information network
• to improve the quality of their services and
  their organizational efficiency
• to fill the knowledge and update the skills of
  the key players to reach new information-user
  groups
• to mobilize resources
• Financial support.

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RESOURCE CENTERS MAKE KNOWLEDGE WORK

• Thanks for your attention!