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Overview - EU-CAP

Updated - Thursday 27 October 2005

European Union CAPacity building project

As part of a thrust to improve the effectiveness of water-related programmes and projects, the European Commission (EC), with the UK Department for International Development (DFiD) acting as co-sponsor, initiated a project to build capacity in the application and use of a strategic approach to water resources development and management.

What is a strategic approach?

A strategic approach is an operational framework centred on policy principles applicable at a programming and project level which reflect the wider range of issues now considered essential for effective water resource management and use. The EC Guidelines for Water Resource Development Co-operation, entitled Towards Sustainable Water Resources Management: A Strategic Approach, describe such an approach and provide a tool for its practical application.

What are the main activities of the EUCAP project?

Initially focused on key groups active in the water sector in the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions, project activities include:

  • Raising awareness of the strategic approach: some nine three-day workshops are being organised throughout the ACP region.
  • Regional seminars: links with regional organisations and initiatives will be established and a series of short seminars held to complement their activities.
  • Short training courses: partnerships will be developed with three regional training institutes for the development/delivery of short training courses based on the application and use of the strategic approach.
  • Whilst the project primarily focuses on the ACP regions, a needs assessment for training and awareness raising in the Asia, Latin America and Mediterranean (ALAMED) regions will also be undertaken.

What will the beneficiaries get out of it?

The beneficiaries of this project will:

  • benefit from a strengthened understanding of EC approaches and requirements for water-related activities, including project cycle management (PCM)
  • learn to apply a questioning mode of project development that is sensitive to local contexts and user needs
  • become better equipped to apply appropriate methods and approaches to resolve dilemmas and difficulties contained in the practical implementation of policy principles

The project was initiated in July 2001 and ended in August 2003.