Transboundary integrated wetland plans

Transboundary wetlands integrated planning is ongoing and aims at developing a road map for wise use of transboundary wetlands for ecological integrity and livelihoods climate resilience. The transboundary wetlands integrated plans involve specific transboundary wetlands inventories, stakeholders mapping, wetlands ecological and socio-economic challenges, strategic goals and interventions and action planning and costing and development of multi-stakeholder implementation plan and associated transboundary governance structure. Additionally, EbA related interventions such as riparian areas protection, watershed soil and water conservation, water sources protection and landscape greening are captured. The stepwise process includes 1) Description of site features, 2) Evaluation of features and selection of key features, 3) Formulation of long-term objectives for each key feature and 4) Formulation of short-term operational objectives for each key feature. In the case of Sio-Siteko wetlands (Kenya, Uganda), a discussion forum helped to identify key issues among stakeholders and their vision. Management objectives therefore focus on the values and interests of the stakeholders rather than exclusively on the ecological values.

Enabling conditions include transboundary governance structures, political goodwill from countries involved and financing of the plan.

Transboundary wetlands integrated plans must be anchored on joint envisioning by the countries involved, joint transboundary governance structures to ensure peer review and success from parties involved. Sustainable financing of the plan is key as experienced in Sio-Siteko transboundary wetlands plan.