RG-T3776 : Regional Action Plan for Drinking Water, Basic Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Organization of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty

The objective of this TC is to improve the Integrated Water Resources Management of the Amazon Region (the hydrographic basin of the Amazon River that occupies a territory of 5,870,000 km2 distributed in 8 countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana , Peru, Surinam, and Venezuela), with emphasis on its quality, through strategic planning regarding the provision of drinking water services, basic sanitation and solid waste management for its population, in a context of reduction of the structural inequality gaps in these territories. The main obstacle to achieving this objective is the lack of information and data, and evidence on the current situation of the watershed and mechanisms that can contribute to its improvement. For this, the TC first will aim to close these information and data gaps on the availability of water for the provision of the service and on its quality conditions associated with the treatment of wastewater and solid waste management. This will be done through a comprehensive analysis for the entire basin; including an information module in GIS. The development of these diagnoses will allow not only to reduce knowledge gaps, but also to contribute to the development of the first Transboundary Strategic Plan for Water and Sanitation services for the Amazon, including the identification of sectoral modernization and innovation mechanisms. Given the interdependence of many riverine populations living in remote and border areas, transboundary coordination of water resources management and associated investments is necessary. On the other hand, given the vulnerability of a large part of the population living in the basin to the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic; also aggravated by the restrictions on access to water and basic sanitation services that ensure sufficient hygienic-sanitary conditions; this TC proposes to improve knowledge regarding the relationship between inequality and structural gaps with the lack of coverage of basic water and sanitation services in the Amazon basin. All the products resulting from this TC will be disseminated through workshops and meetings in coordination with the Amazon Member Countries, ACTO, and the Bank.