It is nowadays generally recognised that water management at river basin level is a crucial element for obtaining sustainable development. All aspects which might influence the quality and quantity of the water, both surface water and groundwater, need to be addressed in an integrated approach. Many international conventions, agreements and arrangements elaborate on river basin management.

International declarations further clearly underline the need for action, sharing knowledge and experience, preparation of case studies of co-operative management programmes and support for transfer of experience (clearing house mechanism). A good tool for meeting those needs is twinning of river basin organisations.

Twinning is a well-known concept for the exchange of knowledge and experience between two organisations. Twinning has been successfully applied in many circumstances. In the case of twinning between river basin organisations it means that two river basin organisations have a structural relationship, in which the exchange of knowledge and experience is a crucial element.

These river basin organisations should preferably have more or less comparable type of problems, either geographically and/or administratively. The emphasis should be put on coupling river basin organisations from regions in different stages of development. Meanwhile, the learning and experience-sharing process is meant to be mutual, and not one-sided.

The actual activities to be carried out under a twinning relationship are based on the needs, wishes and possibilities of the two river basin organisations, and may change in the course of time. Main elements for the exchange of knowledge and experience and co-operation could be: capacity building, the development of legal, institutional, administrative and planning frameworks, instruments, monitoring, data-handling and assessment.

As soon as agreement is reached, for instance by the signing of a letter of intent between the two organisations, deliberations about the exact content of a twinning arrangement could start. Apart from describing the type of information which will be exchanged, information about the definition and purpose, procedure for further elaboration and development, technical issues about the co-operation, time-frame and follow-up, and budgets / sponsors should be included.

An overview of potential elements for a twinning arrangement is attached in appendix 1. This list is neither exhaustive, nor should all elements necessarily be included in the agreement.

By autumn 1999 the Netherlands, host of the 2^nd WWF and the Ministerial Conference, has addressed letters to about twenty of the worlds largest river basin organisations, asking them if they would be interested in twinning with other river basin organisations. The positive reactions have stimulated the Netherlands in the further elaboration of this concept. An overview of the organisations having reacted positive until so far is given in appendix 2.

It is recognised that a twinning arrangement will involve costs. The extent of the costs depends on the content of the twinning arrangement, but anyhow costs for travelling, subsistence and for translation of documents will have to be made. Some countries have indicated that they have already set aside a budget to contribute to this new and promising form of twinning.

This list should be regarded upon as a shopping list of possible elements and is based on an analysis of a number of Memoranda of Understanding regarding international co-operation. This list is neither exhaustive, nor should all elements necessarily be included in twinning arrangements and agreements.

1. description and purpose
1. description of the respective organisations
2. purpose of the agreement
3. areas of special mutual interest.
2. procedure for the further elaboration of the Twinning Agreement
1. designation of contact persons
2. exchange of relevant documents and reports
3. frequency of visits (at least bi-annual) and contacts
4. participation at the meetings
5. training on the job / scholarship
6. organisation of workshops
7. general consultation
8. opening of web sites
9. exchange programs of experts
10. employment of experts
11. reporting and evaluation of the activities in this framework
3. Issues
1. water quality

• flood prevention
• use of scarce water in relation to the various applications (such as agriculture, drinking water, irrigation, drainage, navigation, energy generation).
• irrigation

1. water quality

• toxic compounds
• nutrients
• drinking water
• ecological needs
• emission policy (point and diffuse sources)
• development and definition of best practices; clean technology

1. ecology (water quality and quantity)

• large rivers
• small rivers and streams
• wetlands
• ground water level
• migratory species
• sensitive areas / areas of high ecological value

1. integrated approach / implementation

• relation with other compartments: ground water, rivers, lakes, coastal areas, wetlands, sea. Regarding water quality also the atmosphere (deposition) should be taken into account.
• co-operation with other competent authorities (agriculture, industry, land use planning, drinking water, environment, biodiversity, wetlands
• policy development
• stakeholder participation
• human resources management
• gender issues
• education and arising public awareness
• policy participation and support to decision making
• international co-operation
• implementation reporting of the progress made.

1. socio-economical aspects and finances

• actual and potential social and economical costs of pollution environmental effects.
• costs and benefits from actual and potential additional measures
• sharing / balancing costs and benefits
• polluter pays principle
• enforcement

1. transboundary effects of the co-operation

• institutional aspects
• role of the different players
• upstream and downstream partners

1. co-operation between the partners

• definition of targets
• development of programmes
• monitoring and assessment
• early warming systems
• modelling
• technical and managerial issues
• control and enforcement
• communication and public information

1. legal, administrative an institutional framework
2. management of the organisations

• responsibilities of the organisations
• lead country approach
• decision making process and the influence of the various partners
• participation of non-governmental organisations (stakeholders)

1. period and follow up
1. the agreement is valid for a limited time period of 3/4/5 years.
2. the activities within this framework should be assessed regularly.
2. finances / sponsors
1. information about the financing of the twinning activities
2. reporting back to the sponsors about the activities and the progress made
3. sharing expenses: travel, hotel accommodation, etc.
3. co-operation with other international organisations
1. where appropriate specific attention could be paid to general international organisations
2. participation of other connected organisations

DECLARATION OF INTENT ON THE FORMATION OF TWINNING ARRANGEMENTS

BETWEEN RIVER BASIN ORGANISATIONS

We, representatives of river basin organisations,

• took note of many international declarations and policy papers indicating that integrated water resource management at river basin level is a crucial element for obtaining sustainable development (for example : Dublin 1992, chapter 18 AGENDA 21 Rio de Janeiro 1992, Rio + 5 1997, CSD 6 1998, Petersberg 1998, Paris 1998). In those declarations statements as "need for action", "sharing knowledge and experience, preparation of case studies of co-operative management programmes and support for transfer of experience (clearing house mechanism) are often included.

• took note of the discussions at the Second World Water Forum on integrated water resource management in river basins,

• recognised that river basin organisations, situated in different parts of the world, have developed broad experience, and that exchange of information between these organisations on their experiences can strengthen their institutions, their functioning and their effectiveness,

• recognised that twinning arrangements between river basin organisations can be an effective tool for accelerating the implementation of integrated water resource management and solving water problems,

agree to take the necessary steps, conditional to the availability of adequate resources, to seek to enter into suitable twinning arrangements.

THE HAGUE, 20 March 2000

It concerns the following institutions and contact persons: