Third Meeting of the Steering Committee
San José, Costa Rica
June 17, 2002

Introduction | Outcomes | List of Participants | Agenda

Introduction

The third meeting of the Steering Committee of the PROCUENCA-SAN JUAN was convened by Mr. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica, to be held on June 17, 2002, in San José, Costa Rica.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica, Mr. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez; the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of Nicaragua, Mr. Jorge Salazar Cardenal; the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica before the Steering Committee, Mr. Albar Antillón; the Chief of the Geographic Area III for Central America of the OAS/OSDE, Mr. Stephen Bender; and UNEP's officer for the GEF in International Waters, Mrs. Isabelle Vanderbeck.

Mr. Stephen Bender referred to the reestablishment of a geographic area inside the OAS/OSDE, in order to attend exclusively the Central American Isthmus. Mr. Bender added that this restructuring makes apparent the commitment of the General Secretariat of the OAS to continue to assist the Isthmus' Governments in order to achieve the sustainable development of the countries in the region.

Mrs. Isabelle Vanderbeck declared that the participatory and inclusive process of formulation of the Strategic Action Program (SAP) will enable the social acceptance and viability of its implementation. Likewise, she pointed out the importance of counting with the countries' willingness to engage in a binational management of the San Juan River Basin and its coastal zone, which could result in a binational agreement or the establishment of a binational commission or river basin committee.

Minister Rodriguez indicated that the commitment with the PROCUENCA-SAN JUAN project is one of great importance. He added that "we are not prepared yet to take proper advantage of the political conjuncture." The challenge is big, he continued. The Minister emphasized the need to take technical and concrete actions to guarantee the sustainable development of the San Juan River Basin, while introducing the municipal approach, which is unique in this project as part of the process of decentralization of environmental management, and, thus, revert the process of environmental degradation as soon as possible.

Minister Salazar Cardenal pointed out the importance that the concept of river basin acquired in MARENA's institutional planning. He restated his definite support to the project, as well as its inclusion in the national policies, and the commitment to move forward towards a binational management of this water basin that Nicaragua shares with Costa Rica.

The support and relevance expressed by Minister Rodríguez was echoed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, when Mr. Sergio Ugalde of that office articulated the unconditional support by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Costa Rica to the PROCUENCA- SAN JUAN. Mr. Ugalde indicated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is wishes that this project be part of a bigger effort by the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan Governments in the border area, for the social and economic development of the region.

Outcomes

The main objective of the third meeting of the Steering Committee was to inform the new government authorities of Costa Rica and Nicaragua and the other members of the Steering Committee about the progress in the project's activities. Mechanisms were analyzed in order to consolidate the integration of the PROCUENCA-SAN JUAN in the institutional strategies of MINAE and MARENA, and the policies and national and sectorial development plans.

It was agreed upon the establishment of working and coordination mechanisms with MINAE and MARENA in order to better integrate the PROCUENCA-SAN JUAN to the national and sectorial development plans. The work towards the formulation of the SAP will be done together with MINAE and MARENA's authorities, while utilizing the existing structures.

The programming of activities and the establishment of a multidisciplinary working team were approved for the formulation of the SAP. It was also agreed upon the execution of various events, in collaboration with CRRH, CBM, and regional and global organizations and networks of water resources, and basin organizations.