1. IW:LEARN
TDA/SAP
Training Course
Module 3: Developing the SAP

2. Section 9: Implementation
Strategies

3. +
Where are we?
Implementing
strategies
Setting
strategic
actions
Drafting the
SAP
National and
Regional
consultation

4. +
In this Section you will learn about….
 What are the key integration and
implementation strategies?
 Examples of different implementation strategies

5. +
Why?
We need to ensure the SAP is fully integrated
into national development plans and vice versa
Consequently, the SAP development process
will require direct engagement with national
development planning processes in each
country

6. + What are the key integration and
implementation strategies?
 There is no single blueprint for the integration of the
SAP into national and regional development planning
processes
 A number of approaches have been used over the last
decade and tend to reflect the economic, political,
institutional and regulatory frameworks of the countries
where the integration is being carried out
 Often, the SAP will use more than one approach to
ensure that the it is fully integrated with both national
and regional processes

7. + Embedding into existing National
Action Plans
e.g. Lake Victoria Basin SAP
To ensure sustainability of SAP
activities, it may be necessary to
mainstream them into national
priorities and relevant regional
initiatives. Mainstreaming will pave the
way for respective institutions to
eventually capture SAP activities in their
annual budgets, especially for purposes
of leveraging external funding.

8. + Strategic partnerships with other
regional initiatives
e.g. Mekong River Basin SAP
In order to reduce the replication of effort;
waste of resources (financial, time and
knowledge); and conflict between
approaches, the SAP process can fully
collaborate and integrate with other
strategic partnerships and national and
regional initiatives. Examples could include
engaging and collaborating with on-going
national IWRM Plans, RBM Plans or ICZM
Plans, amongst others.

9. + Sub-regional and Bi-lateral
Agreements
e.g. South China Sea SAP
Countries could be encouraged to enter into
sub-regional and bi-lateral agreements to
address issues relating to the
implementation of the SAP.
A Memorandum of Understanding signed by
all participating countries in the SAP can
form the umbrella under which these sub-
regional and bilateral agreements are
negotiated and implemented.

10. +
Regional Coordination Networks
e.g. Lake Chad Basin SAP
Often, regional Commissions are created,
strengthened or revised as part of the SAP
process and are given the responsibility for
promoting and coordinating the
implementation of priority actions that the
participating countries have defined in the
SAP.

11. +
National Action Plans (NAPs)
e.g. Caspian Sea SAP
The SAP can be supported to a large extent by
national interventions contained in specific
water system-based NAPs developed during the
SAP process. Whilst the NAPs feed into the SAP,
they are also cohesive, independent documents
detailing national objectives, targets and
interventions to be achieved. Without
commitment to implement the national actions,
the regional interventions of the SAP would have
no foundation and their implementation would
be undermined.