27 May 2014: The second workshop of the Integrated Drought Management Programme in Central and Eastern Europe (IDMP CEE) convened to identify synergies among program activities and discuss guidelines for helping countries to draft drought management plans. The 35 participants from 10 countries who attended the workshop discussed the regional implementation of drought management plans and measures in the second edition of European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive.

Presentations on the status of national drought management plans in the region highlighted that most country plans are inadequate because they have not been developed according to the EU guidelines. One exception presented at the workshop was Slovakia’s drought management plan, which offered an early example for how other countries could adapt their efforts to the EU guidelines.

The workshop included a presentation on recent developments in drought research and science-policy interface as well as a training session on a Drought Information Exchange Platform led by experts from the Drought Management Centre for South East Europe. Presentations also reviewed six demonstration projects on drought management in water, agriculture, forestry and other sectors.

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) launched the IDMP in early 2013 to improve drought monitoring and response. IDMP CEE provides support for the development of drought policies and plans to the governments of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.

The workshop took place from 8-9 April 2014, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. [GWP Press Release] [IISD RS Story on Launch of GWP Integrated Drought Management Programme]