Mexico City, July 2015 — The National Water Commission in Mexico, CONAGUA, has signed a Cooperation Accord with 2030 WRG in July to collaborate on a joint program that comprises three main initiatives: the development of a capital investment prioritization system, the analysis of the challenges and opportunities for private sector involvement in the water sector and the establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform. These actions will support CONAGUA’s response to mounting national level budgetary constraints resulting from adverse international economic pressures.

Water resources management in Mexico is organized through 13 Hydrological Administrative Regions (HARs) for planning, programming and management purposes. Each of these regions faces different water security challenges. For example the north and north-eastern territories suffer from extreme droughts and the south and south-eastern areas from severe floods. The Central Highlands face extreme and increasing inter-sector water use competition.

The 2030WRG/CONAGUA joint initiative for developing a capital investment prioritization system will engage in the assessment and prioritization of the CONAGUA’s portfolio of investments in some of the most strategic HARs (and their planning units) of the country in terms of their contribution to GDP, the severity of their water security challenges, and other important socio-economic and environmental criteria. The output will allow CONAGUA and other stakeholders (i.e. the private sector) to identify the most strategic projects for financing.

About CONAGUA
Water in Mexico is considered a national asset. The administration of water is a responsibility of the President of Mexico, who delegates it to the National Water Commission. The National Water Commission is an administrative, normative, technical, consultative and decentralized agency of the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT). CONAGUA’s tasks include the administration of the National Waters, Management and control of the hydrologic system and the Promotion of social development.