The UNDP - GEF Kura Project “Advancing Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) across the Kura river basin through implementation of the transboundary agreed actions and national plans” is implementing the Strategic Action Program for the Kura River Basin in partnership with the Governments of Georgia and Azerbaijan in partnership with Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection and Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, respectfully. 

The Kura II Project is addressing the priority needs in the ministerially endorsed Strategic Action Plan (SAP) through implementation of the SAP and national Integrated Water Resources Management Plans to strengthen and harmonize coordinated conjunctive transboundary ground and surface water management. The five components of the project are:

• Support for institutional governance protocols;
• Professional development and capacity building for water managers across sectors; 
• Stress reduction measures in critical areas; 
• Stakeholder education and empowerment; and,
• Enhanced  science for governance.

These five priority components from the general framework of activities, the project has strong, multisectoral support in both countries and will support the pending bilateral legal agreements.

Kura II Project implementation is supported by the GEF through a financial contribution of USD $5,329,452. Generous additional co-financing has been provided by national Governmental bodies. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources in Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection in Georgia are the main beneficiaries and government focal points for the project. The project implementation period runs for 4 years including the Inception Workshop in April 2017 through May 2021. However the project will contribute to strong involvement of all other stakeholders and interested parties including government, civil society, academia and private entities. IWRM relies on creating firm ground for collaboration and strengthening all sectors capacity to successfully integrated water management.