The Trifinio Plan

Shared Management of Transnational Basins in Central America

Haley BornFebruary 2012

Location

Statistics• 3 countries • Area = 7,500 km3

• Population = 670,000• Population Density = 89 ppl/km2

• 70% of population live in rural areas• 53% of population live in extreme poverty• 75% of land cover is mountainous

Municipalities by Country

GuatemalaHondurasEl Salvador

Motives• Preservation of the

Montecristo National Cloud Forest

• Protect endangered species

• Lay the groundwork for international cooperation and development

TreatiesDelimitation of

Boundaries

• 1938• Guatemala

and El Salvador

• Water quantity and border issues

• Lempa and Paz Basins

Esquipulas Peace

Agreements• 1987• Nicaragua,

Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador

• Settled military conflicts

The Trifinio Plan

• 1998• Guatemala,

Honduras, and El Salvador

• Joint management

• Lempa Basin

Management• Primary

o Trifinio National Commission

• Secondaryo Environmental committees

•Supporting organizationsoGeneral Secretariat of the

Organization of American States (OAS)oInter-American Institute for Agricultural Cooperation (IICA)oInter-American Development Bank (IADB or BID)

Four Components of the Program

Management of Natural Resources

Economic Diversity

Physical Works

Risk and Vulnerability Management

Shortcomings• Has no established its own coordinating inter-

sectoral planning mechanism• No focus on integrated management of water• Lacked social management component

o No community ownershipo Not sustainable

• Lack of mandates for national representatives creates confusion and conflict

• Balance between national and tri-national representation is precarious and complex

Successes• Approved and adopted financing plan• Achieved reforestation of 4,500 hectares of land• 10 infrastructure projects

o Benefitting over 80,000 inhabitantso 9 municipalitieso 3 countries

• Environmental committees created in each country• New programs geared towards support

Lessons Learned• “shows the limits to processes that are stimulated

from above”• Political will of participating countries is essential• Local participation is lacking

o No funding at local or national levelo Lacks efficiency and sustainability

• Regional units should be created

Questions

?1. How do you think the Trifinio National

Commission can encourage participation of local environmental groups and municipalities?

2. What can be done to integrate water resource management into the existing agreement?

3. How can the balance of power between the countries be stabilized? Do you think this is the best way to minimize conflict in international negotiations? What else might be done?