During the Tackling Floods work visit in March 2026, Water Authority Limburg in Roermond welcomed Dutch and Romanian partners for an important next step in their collaboration.
While previous exchanges largely focused on sharing knowledge, this visit marked a clear shift towards deepening relationships and turning ideas into practical action. Particular attention was given to advancing three joint projects and strengthening stakeholder engagement.
The work visit brought together experts from several Dutch water authorities, Romanian water authorities and Dutch knowledge institutes (IVK). The opening session highlighted the importance of international cooperation within the Blue Deal programme. By pooling knowledge and experience, partners are better equipped to tackle a shared challenge: improving protection against (flash) floods.
The Dutch and Romanian water experts work on the topic of floodsin Roermond
From knowledge to action
Throughout the week, participants worked on three case studies in Romania: the Nigel River, a damaged dam near Măgura, and flooding issues around a railway underpass in Bacău.
Technical sessions and field visits in South Limburg provided both inspiration and practical insights. Participants explored how Nature-Based Solutions, such as restoring natural river processes, can be combined with more traditional engineering measures. The focus noticeably shifted from exploring possibilities to shaping concrete next steps.
For both the Nigel River and the damaged dam, partners agreed to initiate feasibility studies. Early sketches of potential measures were developed and will be elaborated into technical designs in the next phase. Step by step, the collaboration is beginning to deliver tangible outcomes.
Putting stakeholders at the centre
Another key theme during the work visit was stakeholder management. Dedicated sessions focused on how to involve stakeholders more effectively, including local authorities, landowners and users of the area. Together, participants worked on:
updating stakeholder analyses, including SWOT assessments,
defining tailored strategies for different stakeholder groups,
and planning concrete actions such as meetings and site visits.
Discussions made clear that strong stakeholder engagement can make or break a project. Limited cooperation from landowners and regulatory constraints around infrastructure remain real challenges. At the same time, active involvement of local decision-makers – such as mayors – can help unlock progress and build momentum.
The Romanian experts visit to the Dutch water authority Limburg
Building towards the next phase
Beyond technical discussions, the work visit also strengthened the partnership between all involved. A set of clear follow-up actions has been agreed, ranging from further technical analyses and deeper exploration of Nature-Based Solutions to enhanced knowledge exchange, stakeholder strategies and identifying funding opportunities within European programmes.
In the coming months, partners will focus on carrying out feasibility studies, refining designs and engaging stakeholders on the ground. The collaboration will continue in September 2026 with a follow-up meeting in Bacău, Romania, where progress will be reviewed and new steps will be defined.
This work visit marks a clear shift in the partnership: from learning to doing, from exploring ideas to shaping real solutions. An important step towards more resilient and sustainable approaches to flood risk management.
Visiting a non-permanent reservoir (Nature-based Solutions) in Limburg with the delegation
From October 2025 to March 2026, an independent consortium of IRC and MDF carried out the Midterm Review (MtR) of the Blue Deal programme. A Midterm Review takes place halfway through a programme cycle and assesses whether the work is on track, what progress has been made, and where adjustments are needed to ensure long‑term success.
The review for Phase 2a (2023–2025) examined all seventeen partnerships and the programme as a whole. Its findings offer a clear picture of the Blue Deal’s achievements so far, as well as concrete guidance for strengthening the programme in the years ahead.
The key conclusions and recommendations have been summarised in a two‑page leaflet, which is now available:
The Blue Deal programme team would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Midterm Review. Your time, insights, and willingness to share experiences from across the partnerships made this review possible. Your input plays a crucial role in shaping the direction of the Blue Deal as we move into the next and final phase of the programme.
This March, Blue Deal Eswatini had the honour of hosting two Dutch Ambassadors in the Kingdom of Eswatini. Although Eswatini falls under the jurisdiction of the Netherlands Embassy in South Africa, the Netherlands Embassy in Mozambique also actively follows developments in the country because of the importance of transboundary water management for Mozambique. As a result, Blue Deal Eswatini benefits from the engagement of both Embassies.
Blue Deal Eswatini with the Dutch Ambassadors to South Africa and Mozambique
Mrs Joanne Doornewaard, Dutch ambassador to South Africa, and Mrs Elsbeth Akkerman, Dutch ambassador to Mozambique, travelled to Eswatini to learn more about the goals, progress, and partnerships of Blue Deal Eswatini.
Launch of a new transboundary programme
In addition a programme was launched by INMACOM to strengthen transboundary water cooperaton with data sharing, improving institutional capacity and sharing knowledge on droughts, floods and climate change. INMACOM stands for the Incomati and Maputo Watercourse Commission. It is a transboundary organisation for water management in South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique to manage the water resources of the Incomati and Maputo River Basins at planning level. It launched their component of the VUNWE programme “Vitalizing, Unifying, Neighbouring Water Management Empowerment” which is facilitated by a consortium of five regional and international water organisations led by IHE Delft and financially supported by the Netherlands Embassy in Mozambique. The two Ambassadors, together with the Commissionor of INMACOM launched the programme by pooring water in a calabash.
Field visit: from monitoring to irrigation
Blue Deal Eswatini guided the ambassadors to several key sites demonstrating transboundary water management in action. They visited:
a monitoring station on the Mbuluzi River, essential for providing timely inflow data to Mozambique
a distribution point where water from the Komati River is allocated to sugar plantations
a pumping station that supplies water to irrigation sprinklers in the fields
Throughout the visit, discussions focused on the roles of the Joint River Basin Authorities, Irrigation Districts and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, as well as opportunities for further collaboration within the VUNWE programme. With all Eswatini’s rivers flowing into either South Africa or Mozambique, transboundary cooperation remains central to sustainable water management.
We look back on a highly valuable visit and look forward to further strengthening our partnerships.
From ambassadors’ engagement to the next generation: Wetskills Eswatini
Strengthening cooperation across borders also means investing in the next generation of water professionals. This month, Blue Deal Eswatini, together with the Joint River Basin Authorities (JRBA), also proudly hosted the first-ever Wetskills Challenge in Eswatini.
The Wetskills participants from Eswatini, South Africa and the Netherlands
This two‑week programme brought together young professionals from Eswatini, South Africa and the Netherlands to work on real-life water challenges. Supported by experts from KOBWA, the Mbuluzi Ecosystem Restoration Project, UNESWA, and INMACOM, participants explored cases focused on:
Building trust and payment culture for sustainable water services
Institutional alignment in water allocation and land use
Innovative financing for climate resilience
Through teamwork and intercultural exchange, participants demonstrated that innovation in water management is not tied to one nation, but emerges from collective energy and collaboration across boundaries.
The first Wetskills Eswatini was intense, inspiring and joyful. Participants arrived as individuals, worked as a united group, and left as connected water professionals who will continue contributing to the sector wherever their paths lead.
A day full of inspiration, new insights, stories, encounters. During the Dutch Water Authorities’ Network Day on 23 March, the water authorities gathered at Villa Jongerius in Utrecht to reflect on the importance of international work. The full breadth of this work, from governance to the power of communities and the future of water management, came together just one day after World Water Day.
Setting the course in a changing world
The day began with a meeting for water authority executives, chaired by Luzette Kroon, Board Member International of the Dutch Water Authorities. Two external experts shared their views on the changing international context. Ben Bekkering (former Head of the Permanent Military Representation to NATO and Senior Associate at the Clingendael Institute) outlined how geopolitical relations are shifting. Conflicts, climate change and pressure on water resources are increasing the need for collaboration. He emphasised that stability and water management are becoming ever more intertwined.
Next, Renske Steenbergen (Deputy Director, VNG International) offered insights into how municipalities and water authorities work together internationally. She reflected on how we can organise international work so that it aligns with our core tasks while remaining agile in a rapidly changing world. The morning concluded with a discussion on how both experts’ pitches could feed into the continuing development of the DWA vision.
Plenary programme: from drinkable rivers to global cooperation
DWA Coordinator and host Piebe Hoeksma interviews Li An Phoa
Moderator and DWA Coordinator Piebe Hoeksma opened the plenary session with around 150 participants, followed by a reflection from Luzette Kroon on an intensive international year. Currently, more than 250 Dutch water authority professionals are involved in international water projects. It’s clear that the European context is increasingly embedded in the DNA of the water authorities, and water is and remains internationally relevant.
The Dutch water authorities have much to offer their international partners. A strong example from the past year was the European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels, where 18 water authorities were represented. Another highlight was Stockholm World Water Week, which provided an excellent platform to showcase our international water partnerships, with both local partners and Blue Deal colleagues contributing to key sessions. Looking ahead, the UN Water Conference in December 2026 will offer yet another opportunity to present DWA’s expertise on the global stage. Luzette Kroon emphasised that water resilience and climate adaptation will remain core priorities for the water authorities in 2026.
Li An Phoa: Drinkable Rivers: small steps matter
With calm and conviction, Li An Phoa took the audience along on her river walks across the world. Her goal: to restore rivers to such a state that their water becomes safely drinkable again and ecosystems remain healthy. In 2018, Phoa walked 1,061 km along the River Meuse – from source to sea – to raise awareness about water quality. Later journeys included the Scheldt, the Thames and the Danube, amongst others. Initiatives have also arisen along the Vecht, Berkel and Amstel river basins.
“From residents and farmers to mayors – everyone loves water and wants drinkable rivers. Make drinkable rivers the indicator for granting permits,” Phoa suggested. Rather than monitoring how polluted water is, she suggested: “Turn it around – wouldn’t that be much more powerful?”
Her presentation was an inspirational reminder highlighting how local knowledge, communities and long-term partnerships form the foundation of healthy ecosystems.
Blue Deal impact – cooperation that makes a difference
Marieke van Nood shares examples of Blue Deal impact
Blue Deal Programme Manager Marieke van Nood was a fitting next speaker, as Li An’s stories closely align with the core of the water authorities’ international work in the Blue Deal programme: cross‑border cooperation, good governance and strong local engagement as the foundation for sustainable water management. Marieke highlighted several Blue Deal partnerships in Kenya, Ethiopia, Argentina and Ghana, demonstrating that involving local users is essential for achieving impact on the ground. “Blue Deal results are strongest when local users and communities not only participate, but truly have a role and a platform.” From enforcing water abstraction rules in Kenya to engaging farmers as co‑water managers in Argentina: everywhere the same principle applies – local ownership works.
NWB Fund – 20 years of investing in international water work
Finally, Bert van Boggelen reflected on 20 years of the NWB Fund. Established to enable international cooperation by the water authorities, the fund invests more than €800,000 annually in Blue Deal projects, with a focus on climate adaptation and social inclusion. It has laid the foundation for many long‑standing partnerships. Participants of the day already received their next invite for the upcoming anniversary event in October, at which they will also give out the annual NWB Award.
Bert van Boggelen reflected on the 20 year anniversaryof the NWB Fund
Break‑out sessions: from Europe to the food–water nexus
In the afternoon, participants spread across four interactive breakout sessions, each with its own angle but united by one central theme: how do we strengthen our international effectiveness going forward?
The Food–Water nexus (Blue Deal)
A session on the crucial relationship between water management and food production, with practical examples from Dutch organisations such as Netherlands Food Partnership, Holland Greentech, Practica Foundation, ECCD-Gire and Blue Deal Peru. Participants had the opportunity to join the discussion in the ‘fish bowl’. A key insight: moving from insight to action requires collaboration between water authorities, individual farmers, knowledge institutions and private partners, and a flexible approach, taking into consideration climate extremes.
Social inclusion and co‑creation (Blue Deal)
Led by Liliane Geerling (Partners for Water) and Blue Deal Social Inclusion focal point Tanah Meijers, this session showed how projects become stronger and more sustainable when local communities are engaged from the start. Examples from Africa and Latin America illustrated how participation from all levels and stakeholders leads to better management and broader support. Participants were given a co-creation assignment to put what they learned into practice.
What’s happening in Europe (Bureau Brussels)
Bureau Brussels representatives Jan van der Steen and Annelle van der Wel gave an update on European legislation, new funding opportunities and the growing need for cross‑border coordination. It was a reminder that Brussels is part of all water authority work and inspiring for everyone working at the intersection of policy and implementation.
The European Knowledge Agenda
How can we organise and share our knowledge more effectively within Europe? Led by Paul van den Berg (Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier) and Marina Gatón González-Anleo (Waterschap Zuiderzeeland), this interactive session addressed data, monitoring, knowledge exchange and the role of water authorities in European research programmes.
During sessions and breaks, the day offered plenty of opportunity to exchange experiences with other water professionals
Stronger together as we look ahead
The DWA Network Day 2026 once again demonstrated how rich, diverse and meaningful the international work of the Dutch water authorities is, and how important it is to exchange experiences and learn from each other. From geopolitical insights to river walks, from governance to community action – the work of Dutch water professionals makes a global difference, and has the potential to scale its impact further.
In October 2025, three experts from Waterschap Rivierenland visited Bamako to support ANGESEM in strengthening its operational and organisational management.
Group photo ANGESEM
Through an interactive workshop, ANGESEM staff reflected together on the organisation’s values, teamwork, and leadership practices, with the goal of turning shared principles into concrete actions in daily work. The exchanges encouraged dialogue, mutual understanding, and team cohesion.
The workshop was enriched by the participation of a global SNV manager, who shared practical examples of values-based leadership. The mission also included discussions on future priorities and plans for 2026, helping set the direction for continued collaboration between the Blue Deal and ANGESEM.
This initiative marks an important step toward stronger, more effective management at ANGESEM, contributing to better public services and sustainable water management in Mali.
Cleaner dyeing for a healthier Niger river
Artisanal dyeing is an important source of income in Bamako, Mali, especially for women. However, wastewater from dyeing activities is often discharged directly into the environment, contributing to pollution of the Niger River.
To address this challenge, the “Teinturerie” Pilot Project was launched by ANGESEM, in partnership with the Blue Deal programme, the Dutch Water Authorities, and SNV Mali. The initiative is financially supported by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and NWB Fund.
The Teinturerie project aims for environmental friendly approaches to managing wastewater from the dyeing factories.
The project works to reduce pollution, promote simple and sustainable wastewater treatment solutions such as helophytes, and support dyeing communities in adopting better environmental and hygiene practices. Field activities included mapping dyeing sites across Bamako, identifying pilot locations, and holding participatory workshops with dyers, local authorities, and technical partners.
In addition to the technical aspects of treating the polluted wastewater from the dyeing activities, the project also focuses on including the female entrepreneurs in the pilot. It is important that the entrepreneurs are involved in finding solutions that are sustainable from both the economic , social and environmental perspectives.
Entrepreneurial women at the heart of wastewater treatment from artisanal dyeing
Early 2026, female entrepreneurs attended a workshop as part of the “Teinturerie” Project to raise awareness and get engagement for this project, a spin-off of the Blue Deal activities in Bamako.
They shared water quality data results from ANGESEM’s laboratory highlighting the environmental and health impacts of untreated dyeing wastewater. Participants also learned about environmental regulations, their responsibilities, and the penalties for non-compliance. The session was highly participatory with dyers exchanging practices, suggesting solutions, and helping shape a future best practice manual while also discussing the project’s business plan.
What stood out most? Behind every dyeing basin are courageous women feeding families, creating jobs, and supporting the local economy. This was a strong first step in the collaborative approach of safeguarding traditional practices while preserving the environment and human health.
The NWB Fund has approved a €24,500 financing request from Blue Deal Ghana to launch a hydrological restoration pilot in the Songor region of southeast Ghana. The initiative marks a significant step toward large-scale mangrove recovery and climate-resilient water management under the international Blue Deal partnership.
Restoring a degraded ecosystem
The project focuses on the Luhuese Creek, a 13-kilometer watercourse within the Songor Ramsar Site and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Years of sedimentation, growth of vegetation and blockages have severely restricted freshwater flow to the Songor Lagoon, leading to rising salinity, declining water quality and loss of biodiversity including the loss of mangroves.
Ecological restorationwill be done in the Luhuese Creek within the Songor Ramsar Site
Ground-truthing carried out at the end of 2025 confirmed that the creek is “severely silted along its entire length,” making hydrological recovery essential for ecological restoration and community livelihoods. The pilot will mechanically dredge the waterway, stabilise its banks, and improve water quality through continuous monitoring.
Linking nature restoration to climate finance
Once freshwater flow is restored, the area is set for the recovery of roughly 800 hectares of mangroves, a critical ecosystem for biodiversity, coastal protection and carbon storage.
The first 200 hectares will be planted during the pilot phase. The remaining expansion is planned to be financed through a new Blue Carbon Credit business model, enabling long-term funding for both restoration and maintenance activities.
Strong local ownership
Ghana’s Water Resources Commission is the local partner in Ghana
The project is led locally by Ghana’s Water Resources Commission (WRC), supported by community structures organised through the CREMA method for participatory landscape governance. Twenty-seven surrounding communities stand to benefit from improvements in fisheries, freshwater availability and sustainable income opportunities linked to forestry and carbon credits.
A scalable blueprint
The pilot contributes to the broader goals of the Blue Deal: improving water security for 20 million people worldwide. Lessons learned in Songor will be shared with Ghanaian institutions and can be applied to similar degraded mangrove systems in Keta, Avita and other regions across Africa and Southeast Asia.
The project also provides innovative insights for the Netherlands, especially regarding landscape governance, community collaboration and the development of carbon-based financing models.
NWB Fund gives green light
Following review on 18 February 2026, the NWB Fund’s program committee approved the financing request. With this decision, the pilot can begin in March 2026, led by a local contractor under WRC supervision. Mangrove planting will follow in April, with monitoring continuing throughout 2026.
The approval marks a major milestone in building a climate-resilient, community-supported and financially sustainable restoration strategy for the Songor region.
At the end of January, members of the Blue Deal Ethiopia Awash project team travelled to Ethiopia for a working mission aimed at strengthening water governance in the Awash Basin. The Dutch team members were accompanied by their Ethiopian colleagues of the local Blue Deal Project Office. The visit included a three‑day field excursion to Samara and surrounding areas in the Afar Region, where the team met with representatives of farming communities and local government officials.
Lake Tendaho – a freshwater storage reservoir used for irrigation water allocation
During the field visit, the Awash River appeared calm. However, in the rainy season the river can rapidly transform into a violent current, flooding extensive areas of farmland. Due to climate change, such extreme events are occurring more frequently. When dykes breach, local residents often attempt to close the gaps themselves to protect their land and livelihoods.
The Awash River is the lifeline of the Afar Region, where agriculture is only possible through irrigation in this hot and arid landscape. In the dry season, water availability regularly falls short of the needs of all users. To address these challenges, the Ethiopian government aims to strengthen its policies for the distribution of irrigation water.
With support from the Dutch water authorities, Ethiopia has developed a water allocation planning process in recent years. Farmers and authorities in the Afar Region have expressed strong interest in applying this approach in their part of the Awash Basin. A workshop with local experts explored the steps needed to introduce water allocation planning in Afar.
The Awash river in the Afar region
Capacity building and prioritisation planning in Addis Ababa
Following their visit to Afar, the project team travelled to Addis Ababa to deliver a two‑day workshop on developing a methodological framework for a Socio-Economic Benefit Study. This study is required to underpin a prioritisation sequence for water users. In periods of drought, such a sequence guides how limited water resources are distributed among different user groups.
During the workshop sessions, participants worked together to create an initial methodology and test it using data collected during the visit. The next step involves refining the approach and applying it fully in a designated pilot area. High-level decision-makers have expressed their commitment to supporting this work, ensuring it can be taken forward in the coming years.
The workshop focused on validating the results of an extensive study into exclusion factors in water allocation planning experienced by both water users and authorities. Participants then jointly explored potential solutions and prioritised actions. These insights will be integrated into the water allocation planning project over the coming years, supporting the inclusion of the cross-cutting theme Social Inclusion within the Blue Deal programme.
The social inclusion workshop with local water users
Major validation workshop on a social inclusion pilot
The team also organised a large validation workshop in Addis Ababa for the Social Inclusion Pilot, funded by the NWB Fund. This workshop was well attended by around 65 participants. These included smallholder farmers, Irrigation Water User Associations, private investors, state farms, government-owned irrigation schemes, and representatives from federal, regional and local governments, both upstream and downstream. Universities, other Blue Deal partnerships and embassy programmes also took part.
Preparations for future work
The working visit concluded with preparatory activities for the KIWI assignment on e‑learning modules and discussions with Ethiopian partners on the preliminary findings of the Mid-term Review. These insights will contribute to the development of the Multi-Annual Plan 2027–2030.
Partnership manager Rens Huisman in front of the local Blue Deal partner office
On October 2–3, Blue Deal Peru, together with the Dutch Embassy and Peru’s National Water Authority (ANA), hosted the inaugural Regional Blue Deal Meeting in Lima.
This was a key highlight in a series of impactful activities between September and November, marking a significant step forward in regional collaboration for the Peru partnership. The regional meeting brought together delegations from Argentina, Colombia, and Peru for an unprecedented knowledge exchange event. The key objective was to share experiences on sustainable water management, citizen participation, information and climate adaptation.
A milestone in regional collaboration
Organised in partnership with the Dutch Embassy and Peru’s National Water Authority (ANA), the event represented a milestone in South-South cooperation within the Blue Deal programme, and celebrated 200 years of Peru-Netherlands relations. Over two days, participants explored critical themes for sustainable water management, including:
Data-driven water governance for informed decision-making
Participatory governance to strengthen integrated water management
Climate change adaptation as a pillar of resilience
Water funds to ensure long-term sustainability
Youth engagement as a driver of change
ClimateCafé – Learning by Doing workshop to foster experiences’ exchange (read more about this below)
Learning networks and international cooperation to scale solutions
The delegations also visited key sites such as the Rimac River near Lima, addressing key issues such as water availability, spatial planning, and water safety.
The delegation visits the Limac river
Aside from the fruitful outcomes of the conference, Q4 provided multiple opportunities for knowledge exchange and progress within the Peru partnership.
Water for agriculture and information for decision making
During visits to Piura and Tumbes, the DWA team, led by Roeland van der Schaaf (dijkgraaf of Noorderzijlvest) -Blue Deal Peru coordinators visited key water infrastructure: Poechos and San Lorenzo dams in Piura, discussing challenges like drought-related water distribution and sedimentation. In Tumbes, they visited La Peña intake, vital for regulation and international irrigation. The team also reviewed promising results from local research on water-saving techniques for rice production and the institutional collaborations built around these studies.
In both regions, DWA teams worked with local partners and the modelling working groups to advance W-flow hydrological models for the Alto-Piura and Zarumilla watersheds. The DWA team and local partners who guide these trainings acknowledge the development of the working groups on further working independently with the models and proudly presenting their results. Data generated in these workshops supports decisions on water distribution and allocation plans led by the Chira-Piura and Tumbes water councils.
Caring for the river and youth for climate adaptation
“Caring for rivers” was the theme of the 2025 Climate Café workshops in both regions. University students from diverse backgrounds learned and collaborated on river care mechanisms, including water biodiversity analysis, deep mapping, and exploring community actions and ancestral practices in a changing climate. In Tumbes, the DWA team joined cleanup and reforestation efforts in the Cabuyal creek. These workshops aim to learn by doing, exchange perspectives, and raise awareness of local climate challenges—especially in vulnerable ecosystems like wetlands and dry forests in Tumbes and Piura.
The working visit also visited a reforestation project in Tumbes
Working on Water safety
In November, the DWA team collaborated with the water councils of Tumbes and Piura and local organisations on water safety. The two-day workshops focused on operating and maintaining riverbank flood protection structures. DWA stressed preventive actions, identifying risks of infrastructure failure and planning for risk management. Group analyses ranged from organisational strategies to technical approaches. Participants included binational projects, the National Infrastructure Authority (ANIN), ANA, and local governments. DWA also joined the regional meeting of northern water councils organized by ANA in Piura, gathering authorities and partners. Using Dutch examples, DWA addressed risk and crisis management to reduce flood disasters.
The third Cumbre por la Gobernanza del Agua in Neiva, Huila, marked a significant step forward for water governance in Colombia. From 29 to 31 October, regional environmental authorities, national institutions, and international partners came together to strengthen integrated water management.
The summit led to the signing of the Declaration of Neiva – a milestone agreement that ensures regional experiences will be embedded in future national water policy. This commitment aims to make policy not only sound on paper, but effective in practice for communities across Colombia.
InspirAgua and partners at the Third National Water Summit in Neiva, Colombia
The programme was designed to combine strategic dialogue with practical insights:
Day 1 – Updating the National Water Management Plan (PNGIRH) Discussions focused on revising Colombia’s national water management plan. Ahead of the summit, online sessions with all CARs (regional environmental authorities) prepared joint recommendations for the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. These proposals reflect lessons learned from regional implementation and will guide future policy updates.
Day 2 – Technology, Data, and Information The second day explored how technological innovation and data-driven decision-making can improve water governance. Experts from InspirAgua contributed their knowledge on monitoring, information management, and smart solutions for sustainable water systems.
Day 3 – Field Visit to Las Ceibas The final day brought theory into practice with a visit to the Las Ceibas river basin. Participants examined climate adaptation, spatial planning, crisis management, and monitoring in action, concluding with a cultural programme that highlighted the connection between water and community life.
The meeting, co-organised by partners ASOCARS and Corporación Autónoma Regional del Alto Magdalena (CAM) marked an important moment for collaboration between Dutch water authorities and Colombian partners within the InspirAgua programme. Nearly all regional environmental authorities in Colombia participated, sharing insights on how national water policies work in practice. These lessons – including what does not work – are essential for improvement.
Beyond these sessions, the summit featured keynote speeches and thematic panels with CARs, local communities, development partners, and academics. The resulting technical declaration consolidates successful experiences and lessons learned, supporting the update of the PNGIRH and reinforcing Colombia’s commitment to integrated water governance.
This milestone lays a strong foundation for continued collaboration between Colombian authorities and the InspirAgua partnership. The shared ambition is clear: improved water quality, reduced flood risks, and access to safe and sufficient water for all.
In the video below, listen to InspirAgua’s Ellen Bollen as she explains the significance of this collaboration and the impact of the Declaration of Neiva.
Indonesia faces growing challenges from flooding, demanding solutions that combine technical innovation with community engagement. Recent Blue Deal visits - to Semarang, Pekalongan and Tangerang - show how collaboration at different levels can build resilience and shared responsibility.
Semarang: Co-Creating Solutions After the Floods
Semarang’s recent flooding set the stage for a visit focused on co-creating solutions. Field inspections of affected areas and pumping stations provided practical insights into system vulnerabilities, while a workshop on monitoring helped define priorities for data collection and analysis. Meetings between the local water authority and the city’s planning agency laid the groundwork for an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) pilot, ensuring coordination between implementation, planning, and basin management.
The Blue Deal team learnt that even shallow flooding can cause significant damage. To reduce future flood risks, Semarang is exploring innovative measures. These types of knowledge exchanges demonstrate that effective water governance depends on combining technical expertise with local knowledge and initiative.
In Semarang, recent floods have caused water issues in the region
Pekalongan: Building Awareness Through Education and Exchange
In another region, in Pekalongan, mutual learning was at the heart of the visit. Knowledge sharing sessions on crisis management brought together local authorities and Dutch experts to explore strategies for responding to floods and other water-related emergencies. Schools played a key role in raising awareness among the next generation: interactive lessons introduced students to water management, water quality, and the cultural differences between Indonesia and the Netherlands.
In Pekalongan, the experts visit a dike that collapsed during recent floods. The breach has been closed using bamboo to seal the gap.
These sessions sparked lively discussions on how everyday actions – such as waste separation and maintaining drainage – can reduce flood risks. By combining technical expertise with local perspectives, these activities strengthen water governance and empower communities to take action. For Blue Deal, this approach reflects a core principle: sustainable water management depends not only on infrastructure but also on education, collaboration, and shared responsibility.
During a crisis management workshop, Dutch and Indonesian water experts exchanged experiences
Tangerang: Youth engagement and multilevel collaboration
In Tangerang, flood resilience efforts also bring educstion and community dialogue together with strategic planning. Building on a learning trajectory started during a previous visit, Blue Deal worked with several schools to develop ideas for raising awareness among residents about their role in preventing floods. In the youth workshop, students explored practical measures such as harvesting rainwater for reuse or infiltration, maintaining drainage channels, and separating and collecting waste. The goal is to make these lessons a permanent part of the school curriculum.
The working visit also included a stakeholder meeting with the local community. The Bupati (district head) was so enthusiastic about the Blue Deal partnership, that he wanted to visit the neighbourhood to discuss flood issues. Residents were honoured to share their concerns about flooding in their neighbourhood with the Bupati, but solutions remain complex. In Bogor, located upstream, new construction is leading to increased runoff into Tangerang, requiring coordination on retention measures and compensation for new construction.
Finally, discussions with various agencies introduced the Dutch Multilayer Safetymodel, focusing on cooperation before, during, and after floods. Given the intensity of tropical rainstorms—often exceeding what Europe considers extreme—these conversations will continue in future visits. With climate change amplifying extremes, learning from these conditions is invaluable.
During a youth workshop in Tangerang, practical measures against flooding were discussed
A holistic approach
While the Semarang project focuses on technical solutions and system-level coordination, the Pekalongan and Tangerang projects highlight the power of education and community engagement. Together, these efforts highlight a holistic approach to flood resilience: combining infrastructure improvements with behavioural change and shared responsibility.
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