Consultation Mechanism

The setting up of a Consultation Mechanism has been considered in the objective to inspire the three countries with a common "basin conscience" and to permit to perpetuate activities of:

• Regular collection and exchange of data
• Definition and calculation of indicators of the basin monitoring
• Realisation of complementary surveys to improve the knowledge
• Periodical updating of the model (every 5years, for example) and development of local models.
• Integrated reflections and on the long term as for an optimized and reliable management of the basin.

The objective is to avoid to pay intention to the project on the occasion of a financing (every ten or twenty years) and to act in a manner that the acquired data justify the model and no the inverse.

Gotten results during the project phase I

The simulations carried out on the Model have highlighted the areas where shared resources appear to be the most vulnerable. Among Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, the Complex Terminal today, and the Continental Intercalary tomorrow, are in a state of exploitation such that undoubtedly, it will be necessary one day in the future to consider collectively controlling, if not reducing, the flows from pumping. How can these flows be controlled within the framework of the State's will to mutually contribute toward the guaranteeing of the region's future, notably, by way of a concerted policy for safeguarding the water resources?

Among the reasons for encouraging dialogue, the management of crises and especially, the risk of deteriorating the resource as a consequence of overexploitation, is a major one. Moreover, the practice of partnership throughout the NWSAS project has progressively forged a mutual confidence among the technical teams, the conviction that common action increases the effectiveness of solutions, and the certainty that information exchange, which forms the foundation of all solidarity, at the NWSAS project's end, has become an activity that is not only possible but necessary.

As such, the OSS, through the NWSAS project, has henceforth allowed for considerable projections: the elaborate Database, containing all present and historical information on all water points, their levels, and their flows, is operational and accessible to the three countries. In this respect, the goodwill of the three water authorities in the communication of information has been exemplary.

Moreover, the NWSAS Model is henceforth available and operation within each of the three countries. An effective form of dialogue might first consist of guaranteeing the maintenance, the development and the permanent updating of two tools - the Database and the Simulation Model.

The three countries favor the creation of a permanent tripartite mechanism for dialogue at the NWSAS level. The starting point is the requirement of maintaining and developing the shared NWSAS database, as well as all other systems for the regular exchange of data and information.

The data exchange must then serve as a basis for the formulation of common policies and strategies. Preparation of the mechanism was elaborated during the course of three national workshops held in Tripoli, Tunis and Algiers, respectively, in November 2002. From these three workshops came a certain number of points of convergence and consensus bearing on the following:

1. the necessary continuation of the NWSAS project's work, bearing on improving knowledge of the system and of its exploitation
2. the setting up of a mechanism for dialogue and its institutional anchoring
3. the progressive and evolutionary nature of the Mechanism, of a lean and efficient structure, toward an elaborate body equipped with more considerable attributions at full term

These options were approved during the Regional Workshop on synthesis which took place at the FAO head offices, Rome, Italy, in December 2002, and they have been officially confirmed by the three countries to the OSS.

Sketch of the first step of Consultation mechanism

Characteristic of the Consultation Mechanism
The Objective is the coordination of a concerted management of the NWSAS water resources.
The structure of the Consultation Mechanism is composed of the following:

• a Steering committee composed of the national structures in charge of water resources, serving as national focal points
• a coordination unit managed by and housed under the OSS
• an ad hoc scientific committee for scientific evaluation and orientation

The Main Attributions are the following:

• the management of tools developed by the "NWSAS" project
• the setting up of and following up on observation networks
• the analysis and the validation of data concerning the resource
• the development of databases on the socio-economic activities and the uses of water
• the production and publication of indicators concerning the resource and its uses
• the promotion and carrying out of studies and research conducted in partnership
• the development and implementation of training and improvement programs
• the updating of the NWSAS model
• reflections on the mechanism's evolution
  

During this phase the relative activities to the Consultation Mechanism carried on:

The setting up of national steering committees.
This initiative permits the implication of sectors other than hydraulic (Agriculture, Environment, Agencies of basins,…) to the adherence of the project results

Setting up of the data base administration cell
One of the main gotten results thanks to the structuring of data is without dispute the possibility to permanently capitalize the collected data to be able to reuse them in the future.

But the technical results are not sufficient if they are not accompanied by institutional measures that will permit to perpetuate these technical tools, to look after the regular updating of data and to permanently assure the general consistency.

Indeed, the volume constantly growing of these data and the diversity of sources producing them make indispensable this so-called function of "data administration".

The aim of this action is to define:

• a common language of shared data description by the different actors implied in the device
• tasks and relations of this administration cell with the organ of consultation and with the national and local institutions in charge with providing data
• the organizational and technical solution that has to be settled so this function of administration could be operational

Tasks achieved at the present hour:

• analysis of the present situation concerning information management: treatment procedures, mode of collection and of data up date, implied institutions,…
• elaboration of the preliminary report describing fundamental orientations for the constitution of data administration function and possible propositions of implementation