Global Blue Peace

1. Global Blue Peace PôleEau (Water Hub) SDC Global Programme Water Initiatives 7th Peer Review & Joint Learning Event – Water Governance Portfolio Neuchâtel, 9-10 September, 2014

2. Regional Level Global Level Middle East NileBasin Central Asia Other regional Political Track Global High Level Panelfor Water & Peace in 2015-6 Co-convenedby 5-10 countries + broadersupportinggroup Mtgofinterestedparties Feb 2015 Launch in June/July 2015 Beyond 2016 tobeinstitutionalized: 3 mainoptions (UN, intergovernmental, bilateral?) IUCN facilitation: LatinAmericaand Mekong, Africa High Level Forum and Media Network On hold. Tobedefined High Level Advisory Group tobeestablishedundernewproject FDFA Strategic Framework for Water Security Variousactivitiesby IUCN, UNESCO, CDE… Strategic /Implementation Track GVA PôleEau (Water Hub): • Think-tank andfacilitation/pre-negotiationplatform (underpreparation) • Education andknowledgenetwork(launch on Oct. 23, 2014) • International Genevawaterplatform (1stmeeting on Oct. 23) • (Connectedto WMO-SDC-WB partnershipforwaterdatamgmt (WHYCOS - underpreparation) OrontesBasin (ongoing) Regional Hydromet (ongoing) • Tigris? Joint project EMM-GPWIs forSyria (underprep) NileBasinhydromet (underprep) Tobedefined (outcomeof Basel conference on 24-26 Nov. 2014)

3. Strategic orientation • Water is a growing cause of social and political instability with significant impact on peace and security in the world. • Support the creation of a global framework for water and peace, as well as the establishment of a global platform in and around International Geneva, the PôleEau (Water Hub). • Position the platform a as resource and facilitation center to help prevent or manage water-related conflicts, scaling up the Blue Peace approachthrough dialogue between political, socio-economic and water sector actors.

4. LessonsLearned • The efficiency of an international Panel/Commissiondepends on the political support and resources provided by co-convening countries; • A Global Panel should be formed by a group of like-minded countries from South and North to collectively provide its mandate; • The Panel’s recommendations should be implemented through a platform federating water sector actors and leveraging the unique pool of resources in and around International Geneva: • the most active center of multilateral diplomacy in the world; • a global hub for water governance, peace and security, humanitarian dialogue, the environment, resilience and sustainable development; • The platform should include a think tank, a facilitation/pre-negotiation center to help translate concepts into concrete actions; • Knowledge generation, sharing and dissemination is key to capacity building to prevent conflicts and promote shared solutions; • To manage risks and expectations, the Panel and the Pôle Eau should be established in a participative, flexible and step-by-step approach.

5. Objectivesoffirstphase (2015-6) • Global High Level Panel issues recommendations for a global architecture for water and peace, and proposes a practical implementation framework, including institutional, financial and operational aspects. • The Pôle Eau (Water Hub) is operational, has established strong partnerships with global water actors, and has provided the High Level Panel with quality inputs . It includes : • A networking platform, to bring together organizations and actors of international Geneva and Switzerland; • An education and knowledge platform with global outreach on water governance; • A think tank linked to organizations based in Geneva and in Switzerland, and strongly connected at global level; • An interim management unit until permanent arrangements are in place in 2017.

6. Project Institutional Setup Global Actors Global High Level Panel on Water& PeaceCo-convenedby CH + 5-10 countries from North and SouthCo-Facilitatedby SFG and SDC-GPWIs Pôle Eau Think Tank Facilitation • Managedbyimpl. unit • Swiss political/diplomaticsupportto potential facilitationrole • Working with UN agencies, e.g. UNECE Convention Implementation Committee • Working withfuture Global Hydromet Facility (WMO-WB) (tobesupportedby SDC) • Network of Think tanks/Community of Practice • Supporting global commission • Networking with GVA actorsand like mindedthinktanksglobally (like SFG) • Implementation UnitOverall managementby SDC-GPWIs in theinterim design andestablishmentphase (2014-2016); • IndependentSecretariat after 2016 Council Board IDANE-Wasser + 3-4 Genevaactors Education & Knowledge • ManagedbyUNIGE throughacademicnetworkin CH andglobally • Scientific committee (SDC, SIG, IUCN, otherstbd) • Leveraging SDC/GPWIs activitiesandanalyticaltools Networking • Managedbyimpl. unit • Regular events, annualmeeting • Swiss WaterPartnershipsupport • Support by an existingnetwork such asWaterLex • International Geneva • Global Actors • UN Waterandagencies. UNECE, WMO, UNSGAB, …. • World Bank, WRG • WEF, Private sector • Global NGOs: IUCN, GWP, … • Diplomaticrepresentations • Geneva Centre for Security Policy Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (mediation) • Others CASwaterpolicyandgovernance Online,distancelearning (with UNITAR) Action-orientedresearch • Netwoking in Switzerlandandglobally (UNESCO-IHE/IHP, UN University, etc.) • Facilitating a Blue Peace Academic Network

7. Global High Level Panel • During its 2 years mandate, to carry out a contextual analysis, issue recommendations for a global architecture for water, security and peace, and propose related implementation mechanisms; • These couldinclude: • A multilateralwater governance/diplomacy center bringingtogether UN, diplomatic, humanitarian, academic, civil society and privateactors; • Economic and financialmechanismsto incentivizetransboundary and multisectoral water cooperation(e.g large hydro); • Humanitarian dimensions in relation to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, safeguarding the right to water and protectinginfras in conflict areas; • Efficient implementation and use of international conventions especially the recentlyglobalized UNECE Convention; • Tobedesignedandassembledthrough a consultativeprocesswith 5-10 co-convening countries from South and North andpartners, andformallylaunched in mid-2015; • Tobecomposedof high levelpolitical, decision-makersandopinionleaders;

8. Networking Platform • To connect and bring together organizations and actors of international Geneva and Switzerland (with SWP support); • Platform open to all actorsinterested by broader water issues, but willlikely focus on a limitednumber of themesrelated to water, security and peace: • To explore links between water, tensions/conflicts at local, national and transboundarylevels • To strengthen awareness and advocacy on the global theme of water, security and peace; • First informal meeting on Oct. 23, 2014 (based on mappingof actors by UNIGE) to discuss and agree on modalities and terms of reference of thisplatform;

9. Education and Knowledge • Based on a Swiss and Global academic network, coordinated by UNIGE, with support from Swiss Water Partnership and global actors notably UNESCO-IHE; • Positioned at the intersection of research and political action, for the prevention and management of water-related conflicts; • Tobecome a global educationandappliedresearchcenter on watergovernanceandpoliticaleconomy; • Toprovidepoliticalactorswithtoolsandstrategic analyses for evidence-based decision making; • Includesthreetracks: • Education (CAS, MOOCs, Water Teds), UNESCO-IHE; • Action-orientedresearch, supporting Global High Level Panel and Think tank / Facilitation platform; • Outreach, to position the Water Hub / Pôle Eau globally, stimulating synergies and leveragingactivities by SDC GPWIs and partners.

10. Think tankFacilitation / Pre-negotiation • Linkedto organizationsin Geneva and in Switzerland and stronglyconnected at global level, bringingtogetherthink tanks, civil society and scientificorganizations(by region or by basin); • Supporting the high levelPanel with high quality contributions and constantlyinteractingwith all components of the Water Pôle Eau; • To potentiallyfunction as a facilitation, pre-negotiation, or mediationplatformavailable to countries and water organizations to address water-relatedconflicts at transboundary and national/local level • On requestfrom countries, regional or global organisations (e.g. large infrastructure on transboundary waters); • Building on ongoing/future SDC activitieswithitspartners, notablyregional Blue Peace initiatives; • Potential Swiss political and diplomatic support to bedefined on a case to case basis.

11. Technical feasibilityPolitical feasibility X POLITICAL POWER UPSTREAM

12. Timetable in 2014-5 • 2013-early 2014: Broadconsultations – external(15 countries and 134 political leaders, diplomats and experts) and internal (largest in GPWIs history) • June 2014: Project approval • July-Aug 2014: Contractswithpartners in place (notably SFG and UNIGE) • Oct. 23, 2014: First meetingof GVA networkandlaunchofeducationandknowledgeplatform • Weekof Feb. 2, 2015: Meeting ofco-convenorsandinterestedpartiesto design Global High Level Panel • June/July 2015: Launch of Global High Level Panel • Sept/Oct 2015: First regional meetingof Panel

14. Key ExpectedContributions • Implementation of a post-2015 SDG Water Goal, especially WRM targets: • peace, stabilityandeconomicdevelopmentaremoreandmoredependent on goodwatergovernance at all levels, incl. transboundarymanagement ; • Swiss political engagements for development and cooperation and in support of International Geneva; • Pôle Eau to alsostrengthenGeneva as the global hub for resilience, disasterriskreduction and climate change; • Pôle Eau to complement future Geneva center for Environment and Security.

15. Questions • Twolevelsupport: • Co-convenorsof global Panel? • Supportinggroupof initiative (Friendsof)? • Compositionandtasksof global Panel? • Roleandcompositionofthink tank? • Modus operandiandtimingoffacilitation / pre-negotiationplatform ? • Names? (Commission, Security, WPE…)

16. Merci !