IW:LEARNTDA/SAP Training Course

Module 3: Developing the SAP

Section 7: Strategic Planning

+In this Section you will learn about….

What is Strategic Planning?

Key Steps in the strategic planning process

+What is Strategic Planning?

Strategic planning is a process of defining strategy or direction, and making decisions on allocating resources to pursue this strategy.

Drawing distinctions between realities and objectives is at the heart of strategic planning - there will always be various options for bridging the gap between the current situation and the desired objective

+

Consultation Setting actionsStrategies for implementation

Drafting the SAP

Strategic Planning

+SAP Strategic Planning Steps

National and Regional

consultation

Implementing strategies

Setting strategic actions

Drafting the SAP

Section 8: National and Regional Consultation Processes

+Where are we?

National and Regional

consultation

Implementing strategies

Setting strategic actions

Drafting the SAP

+In this Section you will learn about….

What is the purpose of the consultation process?

Economic analysis of options and alternatives

Political and social analysis of options and alternatives

Advice from the field

+What is the purpose of the consultation process?

The previous steps in the SAP development process have focussed on selecting ideas and prioritising them

These were purposely described as options or alternatives and not decisions - all countries involved in the process are at liberty to propose additional solutions or to discount those coming from the SAP development teams.

+What is the purpose of the consultation process?

This step involves each country reviewing the outputs of the strategic thinking process and

conducting a thorough evaluation of the feasibility of the alternatives from a national

perspectiveIn particular, the countries should examine

how feasible the options/alternatives are from an economic, political and social perspective

+Economic analysis of options and alternatives

The economic analysis of the options/alternatives should be based on objective information and widely used techniques

However, its results should not be seen as constituting “the decision” – economic analysis provides only one form of input to the policymaker’s final decision

+Three general approaches that can be used….

+Example of good practice

Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea (2008)

Regional Economic Values and Cost/Benefit Analysis of SAP Actions pp 51 – 61

+Political and social analysis of options and alternatives

In parallel to the economic feasibility analysis, it is necessary to ensure social and political acceptability of each option

This is necessary at both the regional and national levels

+Why?

At the regional level a given option might not be particularly attractive to a specific country

But when weighed in against the complex political agenda that characterizes bilateral or

multilateral relations, may constitute an important bargaining chip

An understanding of regional relations is therefore important.

+Why?

At the national level, options may directly affect a specific sector or community, or may

entail added responsibilities for certain government agencies

Stakeholders that may be directly impacted by an option or that will play a role in its

implementation will need to be consulted

+Advice from the Field

Is there a risk that the SAP will be perceived as a ‘wish list’ during the national/ regional consultation process? Make sure the focus is on priority issues and try not to present shopping lists.

How will the project convince finance, planning and development ministries to invest? Prioritisation based on the economic valuation of environmental goods and services in particular can help convince these ministries, as they will see a return on their investment.

How important is private sector/civil society commitment and acceptance for a given option? Without commitment, implementation will be difficult.

+Advice from the Field

Do key stakeholder representatives have a clear understanding of the TDA/SAP process and in particular, of the given options developed during the strategic thinking phase? Do they know what they are letting themselves in for?Do stakeholder groups understand the potential benefits and/or costs of a specific option? Some stakeholders will benefit, others will lose out. Again, without full understanding and agreement from the stakeholders, it will make SAP implementation more difficult.

Are there misconceptions based on imprecise or fragmented information or previous negative experiences regarding a proposed option?

+Advice from the Field

Have all relevant stakeholders been identified? Perhaps a given option affects a specific interest group or isolated community that was not identified in during the project development phase. These would need to be contacted, and given means for providing inputs.

What sectors are involved? Are there conflicting interests? Are there mechanisms to address them adequately? Should an inter-sectoral response/approach be negotiated within the SAP?

Is there a good understanding of gender roles? Understanding gender roles during the analysis of options and alternatives will lead to improved buy-in and will help focus the SAP.

+Whole Group Discussion

What are the main challenges in ensuring an effective national consultation exercise in this region?

Section 9: Implementation Strategies

+Where are we?

Implementing strategies

Setting strategic actions

Drafting the SAP

National and Regional

consultation

+In this Section you will learn about….

What are the key integration and implementation strategies?

Examples of different implementation strategies

+Why?

We need to ensure the SAP is fully integrated into national development plans and vice versa

Consequently, the SAP development process will require direct engagement with national

development planning processes in each country

+What are the key integration and implementation strategies?

There is no single blueprint for the integration of the SAP into national and regional development planning processes

A number of approaches have been used over the last decade and tend to reflect the economic, political, institutional and regulatory frameworks of the countries where the integration is being carried out

Often, the SAP will use more than one approach to ensure that the it is fully integrated with both national and regional processes

+Embedding into existing National Action Plans

e.g. Lake Victoria Basin SAP

To ensure sustainability of SAP activities, it may be necessary to mainstream them into national priorities and relevant regional initiatives. Mainstreaming will pave the way for respective institutions to eventually capture SAP activities in their annual budgets, especially for purposes of leveraging external funding.

+Strategic partnerships with other regional initiatives

e.g. Mekong River Basin SAP

In order to reduce the replication of effort; waste of resources (financial, time and knowledge); and conflict between approaches, the SAP process can fully collaborate and integrate with other strategic partnerships and national and regional initiatives. Examples could include engaging and collaborating with on-going national IWRM Plans, RBM Plans or ICZM Plans, amongst others.

+Sub-regional and Bi-lateral Agreements

e.g. South China Sea SAP

Countries could be encouraged to enter into sub-regional and bi-lateral agreements to address issues relating to the implementation of the SAP.

A Memorandum of Understanding signed by all participating countries in the SAP can form the umbrella under which these sub-regional and bilateral agreements are negotiated and implemented.

+Regional Coordination Networks

e.g. Lake Chad Basin SAP

Often, regional Commissions are created, strengthened or revised as part of the SAP process and are given the responsibility for promoting and coordinating the implementation of priority actions that the participating countries have defined in the SAP.

+National Action Plans (NAPs)

e.g. Caspian Sea SAP

The SAP can be supported to a large extent by national interventions contained in specific water system-based NAPs developed during the SAP process. Whilst the NAPs feed into the SAP, they are also cohesive, independent documents detailing national objectives, targets and interventions to be achieved. Without commitment to implement the national actions, the regional interventions of the SAP would have no foundation and their implementation would be undermined.