WES operates as a support mechanism to the Partner Countries and the country EU Delegations by creating synergies and opportunities for collaboration and dissemination of information and good practices.
WES also provides support to its institutional partners, namely the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the UN Environment/Mediterranean Action Plan of the Barcelona Convention in assisting the Partner Countries to address their regional commitments, facilitating specific regional strategies and dialogues.
WES primarily cooperates with the Water and Environment Focal Points in each country. Given the crosscutting nature of WES, a wide range of national and regional stakeholders are involved, including:
National authorities from South countries:
Beyond the government officials from the competent line Ministries or their affiliate entities, the support will include authorities in charge of cross-sectorial activities or inter-ministerial coordination and authorities at regional and local level.
Civil society:
Civil society plays an important role in raising awareness and drawing public attention to environmental and water related issues. Civil society organisations are key partners in mobilising decision-makers and in catalysing a behavioural change among the local population. Civil society, and when relevant youth and women’s associations, will be targeted by WES to facilitate the wide transmission of the main messages.
Private sector:
Private actors need to be increasingly engaged in order to promote sustainable private sector development and harness skills, innovation and knowledge for addressing environmental and water related issues.
Key regional players:
International organisations will also be involved in the project implementation, in particular the UfM secretariat, UN environment Mediterranean Action Plan, the European Environment Agency and the League of Arab States.