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Costa Rica, 2017. The Binational Commission of the Sixaola River Basin held an ordinary general assembly attended by 40 representatives of government agencies, indigenous governments and civil society with the customary support of the Executive Secretariats of the Costa Rica-Panama Agreement on Transboundary Development.

Participants discussed challenges to implementation of the Strategic Plan for Transboundary Territorial Development 2017-2021, and launching of the first binational pilot project of the Binational Commission of the Sixaola River Basin (CBCRS for its name in Spanish). The focus of this project is on establishing integrated farms for improved livelihoods with sound natural resource use and sharing experiences among producers in both countries.

With ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� support, the CBCRS identified the relation between international climate change commitments (such as the Paris Agreement) and activities implemented in the basin, given that actions for risk management, agricultural production and environmental management qualify as part of the countries’ intended nationally determined contributions (NDCs). After debate on joining the UNECE Network of Basins Working on Climate Change, the Assembly voted in favor and asked the Coordinating Unit to follow the necessary procedures.

“This adhesion will make it easier to share information and experiences with other basin entities on good practices for integrated water resource management, adaptation to climate change and transboundary coordination” stated Nazareth Porras, BRIDGE coordinator for Mesoamerica.

The Assembly was held during June 7^th and 8^th, participants also dealt with various transboundary coordination matters affecting CBCRS operability and binational dynamics among area actors, received updates on progress in border relations between the two countries, next steps of border delimitation in the Sixaola sector, construction of the binational bridge over the river, an integrated control post on the Sixaola-Guabito frontier, and migratory mechanisms to expedite border crossing during binational activities.

The ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� supports the Binational Commission of the Sixaola River Basin through the BRIDGE and AVE projects aimed at fostering dialogue, cooperation and coordination on water resource management, including adaptive water governance as parameter for adapting to climate change.