As pressures on aquatic ecosystems grow, understanding the role of GEF support in advancing international waters cooperation becomes increasingly important.

The 2005 Program Study on International Waters reviews how GEF support contributes to protecting transboundary aquatic ecosystems and consolidating lessons for future operations. Conducted between February and July 2004, it draws on prior evaluations, stakeholder questionnaires, and four field visits including global demonstration projects.

The study finds that GEF interventions now extend to nearly all major catchments and large marine ecosystems and have helped establish new legal agreements such as the Caspian Sea Convention and the Lake Victoria Basin Protocol.

Demonstration projects prove effective in generating local engagement and replicable solutions, while strategic action programs show progress but often face difficulties with interagency cooperation and sustained government buy-in. Monitoring and evaluation practices remain inconsistent, and some project designs are overly ambitious.

To address these issues, the report calls for clearer operational guidance through an international waters manual, a more integrated monitoring and evaluation system, stronger regional coordination mechanisms, and a redefined role for the International Waters Task Force to improve oversight and use of agency strengths.