Fourth Meeting of the Steering Committee
Managua, Nicaragua
February 13, 2003

Introduction | Outcomes | List of Participants | Agenda

Introduction

The Fourth Meeting of the PROCUENCA-San Juan Steering Committee was convened by Mr. Eduardo Marín Castillo, Nicaragua's current Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, and took place on February 13, 2003 in the city of Managua, Nicaragua. The meeting, which was originally programmed for December 2002, was postponed in order to conclude the compilation of data necessary for the preparation of a draft table of contents for the Strategic Action Program (SAP) that includes action guidelines and priority issues.

During the last quarter of 2002 three Public Participation National Workshops, and one meeting of the National Consultative Committee in each country, were held. Both the national workshops and the national consultative committees were designed to gather information on national development plans and sectoral plans that are being implemented by each of the ministries.

During 2002, most of the basic studies and pilot projects were initiated and many of them are already giving preliminary results which provide guidance for the preparation of the SAP. Using the information generated by these three elements - consultations through public participation workshops and Consultative Committees meetings, pilot projects, and basic studies, the technical units are working on the preparation of a draft SAP which will identify general guidelines, priority issues, and projects and programs which would respond to national and sectoral development plans.

The Fourth Meeting of the Steering Committee was convened to initiate the SAP preparation and negotiation process.

At the opening session of the Steering Committee, Mr. Stephen Bender, Chief of the OAS/OSDE Geographic Area III for Central America, mentioned the potential for the project success regarding the formulation of the Strategic Action Program in the remaining months of 2003, and the work being done at the country level, oriented towards the achievement of this phase.

Mr Jorge Rucks, Chief of the OAS/OSDE Geographic Area II, in charge of water resources, read a letter sent by Mrs. Isabelle Vanderbeck, a UNEP representative for GEF projects on international waters who could not attend the meeting due to health issues. The note presented is attached to the meeting summary. Representing Nicaragua's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Minister Eduardo Marín Castillo welcomed the participants and the Steering Committee members, hoping that all expected outcomes be reached in an important basin such as the San Juan River. He also thanked the international organizations for their interest in contributing to the region's sustainable development and highlighted the existence of a Planning Office in MARENA, which works based on water basin focus.

At the opening session of the Steering Committee, Mr. Stephen Bender, Chief of the OAS/OSDE Geographic Area III for Central America, mentioned the potential for the project success regarding the formulation of the Strategic Action Program in the remaining months of 2003, and the work being done at the country level, oriented towards the achievement of this phase.

Mr Jorge Rucks, Chief of the OAS/OSDE Geographic Area II, in charge of water resources, read a letter sent by Mrs. Isabelle Vanderbeck, a UNEP representative for GEF projects on international waters who could not attend the meeting due to health issues. The note presented is attached to the meeting summary. Representing Nicaragua's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Minister Eduardo Marín Castillo welcomed the participants and the Steering Committee members, hoping that all expected outcomes be reached in an important basin such as the San Juan River. He also thanked the international organizations for their interest in contributing to the region's sustainable development and highlighted the existence of a Planning Office in MARENA, which works based on water basin focus.

Outcomes

The Fourth Meeting of the Steering Committee is an important benchmark since it resulted in important agreements for future actions' sustainability. The most important achievements are:

1. MINAE and MARENA will be responsible for the project and will include it as a priority action in their respective agendas. The project will be under the direct oversight of the Conservation Areas National System (Costa Rica) and the Meso-American Corridor (Nicaragua). Costa Rica's and Nicaragua's Vice-Ministers of Environment herein assume the position of "Project's Highest Policy Makers" for each country.

2. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the municipal federations as members of the Steering Committee reaffirm their interest and priority in the project, taking a more proactive role in its execution.

3. In order to insure the proper implementation of the Strategic Action Program, one Bi-National Executive Secretariat will be assigned with the responsibility of PROCUENCA-San Juan. This decision strengthens the BASIN vision, giving deference to each state’s sovereignty, and favoring integrated management of the BASIN taken as a planning and management unit.

4. PROCUENCA-San Juan adopts a technical VISION of Eco-Management (Ecological, Economic, Social, and Political Integrated Management) focused on the strategic development of tourism and rural development.