On April 24, ministers and representatives from Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Greece and Northern Macedonia approved the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for the sustainable management of the Drin River Basin.
The Drin River is the longest river in Albania and also passes through Kosovo and North Macedonia. Its catchment area includes Greece, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Albania and it discharges in two places- the Buna River and the Adriatic Sea.
The program consists of more than 100 actions aimed at managing water in the Drini basin, in which 1.6 million people live. The Drin River Basin is an important source for fishing, electricity, agriculture, tourism and is used for drinking water.
The SPA aims to address a number of cross-border issues, such as water pollution, biodiversity degradation and ecosystems, and water flow and sediment disturbances and will serve as a reference point for future cross-border environmental cooperation in the Drini basin.
Country representatives met virtually and noted that the coronavirus pandemic showed that water resources are essential for human health and life. Representatives are currently tasked with finding funding sources for the implementation of the PSA.
