Global Initiative - Blue Peace

While the three regional initiatives in Central Asia, the Middle East and West Africa have a regional focus, applying context-specific approaches and tailored projects, the global initiative aims to promote and support equitable and sustainable cooperation on transboundary waters worldwide and in multiple regions. The activities are designed in particular to increase the proportion of transboundary water basins covered by operational agreements, to encourage more countries to join international water conventions and agreements, and to secure additional international and national funding for transboundary water cooperation.

For this endeavor, Switzerland collaborates with several key partners, including the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE, as part of its support for the Water Convention’s work programme), the World Bank, the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

UNECE Water Convention

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes — the so-called „Water Convention“ — was adopted in 1992 and entered into force in 1996. The Convention helps countries to maximise the benefits of transboundary cooperation, including addressing climate change, ensuring sustainable water management and ecosystem protection, fostering the water–energy–food–ecosystems nexus, and enabling equitable benefit-sharing.

A Party to the Convention since 1996, Switzerland is one of the key contributors to its programme of work, which supports countries’ accession to and implementation of the Convention through guidance, exchange of experience, capacity building, advocacy, and projects on the ground.

Visit the website of the UNECE Water Convention

Blue Peace Financing initiative

The Blue Peace Financing (BPF) initiative tackles the issue of limited access to capital markets for non-sovereign entities such as river basin organizations and local governments who manage water resources by using water as an entry point for investment. The dedicated project BPFi aims to unlock public and private capital, by providing de-risking mechanisms and technical assistance for water-related projects.

So far, BPF has been deployed in West Africa only. Implemented by the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) the initiative supports the Gambia River Basin Development Organization (OMVG) in accessing the capital market in order to finance its integrated development master plan through a . These investments should enable millions of people living in the basin covering The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal to benefit from improved access to hydroelectric power, drinking water and sanitation, as well as enhanced food security – ultimately contributing to the sub-region’s stability and socio-economic development.

Visit the website of the Blue Peace Financing initiative

Geneva Water Hub

The Geneva Water Hub (GWH) was established in 2014 by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the University of Geneva. Contributing to, and supported by SDC’s Blue Peace initiative, the GWH established the High-Level Panel on Water and Peace (HLPWP) in 2015. The resulting report, A Matter of Survival, significantly shaped the Hub’s development trajectory.

Now recognised as a Centre of Competence on Water for Peace, the Hub’s vision is to advance ‘the use of water for peace in humanitarian, development and peacebuilding efforts’.

Visit the website of the Geneva Water Hub

Building River Dialogue and Governance

The Building River Dialogue and Governance (BRIDGE) is a flagship programme implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2011, supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and designed to
advance a dialogue‑based, multilateral approach to transboundary water cooperation. Active across more than a dozen transboundary river basins worldwide, BRIDGE translates water diplomacy into practice by linking local action with national, basin and regional policy processes. Demonstration projects show how cooperation can deliver tangible results, from ecosystem restoration to improved livelihoods and reduced conflict risks.

BRIDGE strengthens water governance by supporting institutional and legal frameworks, inclusive decision-making, and trust-building across borders. Additional training and leadership development empower women, young people and Indigenous leaders as drivers of cooperation.

Visit the website of BRIDGE

International Network of Basin Organizations

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Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

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