International Waters Project
What is the International Waters Project?
The International Waters Project (IWP) is working with pilot communities in 14
Pacific Island countries to find practical ways to strengthen environmental
Factsheet
management in three key areas: coastal fisheries, waste reduction, and
freshwater protection.
IWP is working with these pilot communities to try and understand the root causes
of resource management problems and to identify possible low cost solutions that
can help countries improve resource management at the national level.
Working together
In each country a National Coordinator has been appointed within a lead
Government agency to manage the project. A National Task Force consisting of key
stakeholders from government, non-government agencies, and the local
community, has been appointed to support the National Coordinator. This Task
Force is responsible for using the lessons provided by the community-based
activities to improve the management of resources at the national level.
Who are IWP's partners?
The IWP is funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and co-managed
by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This seven-year, $US8.5 million,
project is scheduled for completion in December 2006.
COASTAL FISHERIES
Federated States of Micronesia
The municipalities of Rumung, Maap, Gagil,
Gilman in Yap
Solomon Islands
The villages of Chea and Mbili Passage in
Marovo Lagoon
Vanuatu
The community of Crab Bay in Malekula
Island
Niue
The project is helping the communities of Alofi North
and Makefu work together with the Government to
improve the management of coastal fisheries. The
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional
Environment Programme
Niue IWP is looking at a range of options such as A Niuean gleaner uses an axe to collect
strengthening existing marine protected areas. tube worms from the reef.
SPREP
PO Box 240
Apia


Samoa
T +685 21929
F +685 20231
E sprep@sprep.org.ws
W www.sprep.org

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WASTE REDUCTION
Fiji
The village of Vunisinu in Viti Levu
Kingdom of Tonga
The village of Nukuhetulu in
Tongatapu
The Secretariat
Papua New Guinea
of the Pacific
The village of Barakau
Regional
Environment
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Programme
The village of Jenrok in Majuro Atoll
(SPREP) is an
Kiribati
Republic of Nauru
intergovernmental
The Kiribati community of Bikenibeu West has 205
The community of Buada
organisation that
households but only 64 have access to an adequate
works to protect
Republic of Palau
sewage or solid waste collection system. The IWP is
and improve the
The village of Chollei in the district of
assisting the community implement low-cost
Pacific islands'
Ngarchelong, Babeldaob
alternatives to manage their solid and liquid waste.
environment,
Pictured above: Children making the most of a
Tuvalu
and promote
wrecked car in South Tarawa.
The villages of Alapi and Senala in
sustainable
Funafuti
development and
cooperation.
FRESHWATER PROTECTION
SPREP is based in
Apia, Samoa.
Cook Islands
The Takuvaine Valley watershed is the main source of
water for urban Rarotonga but in recent years it has
become increasingly threatened by pollution. The Cook
Islands IWP is working together with the Takuvaine
community to develop a plan for managing this vital water
catchment.
A boy drinks from an unfiltered
water intake high in the
Samoa
Takuvaine Valley
The village of Lepa and Apolima Island.
The International Waters Scholarship Scheme
The International Waters Scholarship Scheme is helping to build capacity in environmental management in the
Pacific region. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) the US$273,000 Scheme offers postgraduate
scholarships valued up to US$20,000 for each of the 14 participating countries. The scholarships are linked to the
IWP's work to build management capacity in the areas of sustainable coastal fisheries, waste reduction, and the
protection of freshwater resources.
UNDP Resident Representative in Apia, Joyce Yu, praised the IWP Scholarship Scheme as an investment in the
future of the Pacific region, "I'm very excited by this scheme because it is making such a tangible contribution to
building human resources in the region. All the recipients are working to improve the management of our coastal
resources and their work will continue to have a real and lasting impact on the quality of life in Pacific
communities".
For more information visit:
Contact:
www.sprep.org/iwp
International Waters Project
SPREP, PO Box 240, Apia, Samoa
T +685 21929, F +685 20231, E iwp@sprep.org.ws

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