29 Nov The signing of a collaboration protocol with the Uruguay River Basin, another step towards the creation of a network of river borders

The EGTC Rio Minho and the Committee for the Development of the Uruguay River Basin (CCRU) – river border that connects Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay – signed yesterday a collaboration protocol between the two entities to continue the exchange of experiences on water border management. The agreement comes during the study visit that he CCRU is carrying out to the territory of the Cross-border Rio Minho, during which a seminar was held between both institutions to share their water border management models.

The EGTC Rio Minho has been working for some time to promote a network of river borders that facilitates the exchange of knowledge and favors cooperation between its members. The particularities that affect this type of borders, as pointed out by the director of EGTC Rio Minho, Uxío Benítez, who was presented at the signing of the agreement, are very similar, especially about environmental, water and social management. During 2020, institutional relations with similar cases such as the Guadiana River, the Rhine or the Uruguay Basin were increased, participating in several telematic international seminars and meetings and during the current year, study visits and face-to-face meetings are being developed.

During the meeting that is being held these days in the territory of the Cross-Border Rio Minho and ends today, the representatives of the local entities of the so-called “Border of Peace”, where Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay coincide, were able to see in situ the great similarities existing between the Latin American border and the Minhot. The ecological problems, water management or the socioeconomical reality of both territories show great similarities to which common solutions can be sought.

The visit of the CCRU is in turn part of the Triangular Cooperation initiative of the Association of European Border Regions (ARFE), of which the EGTC Rio Minho is also part along with the Bolivian-Peruvian Binational Authority of Lake Titicaca and the Congress of Intendants of Uruguay and the CCRU, which aims to strengthen the economic, social and environmental capacities of these entities. The meetings will continue next year 2023 with new meetings in Puno (Perú) and Paysandú (Uruguay).