Members of the Blue Peace ME Regional Mechanism travelled to Portugal and Spain in September 2023, as part of a five-day study tour that highlighted the benefits of shared management of water, energy, food and environmental resources.
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The itinerary focused on the transboundary Guadiana River Basin, taking participants from upstream Spain to sites in downstream Portugal, offering perspectives from both sides of the border.
Along the way, the group met with high-level representatives from Portuguese and Spanish government institutions, as well as environmental experts who shed light on various aspects of transboundary water management.
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An interactive virtual tour of the Alqueva Multipurpose Project.
The group learned about the history of the 1998 Albufeira Convention, which governs the two countries’ cooperation over their shared water bodies.
The group also visited the Alqueva Dam and Multipurpose Project. With its 250-km2 dam reservoir, the dam has transformed a formerly semi-arid region into a thriving agricultural area. The dam today provides water for the irrigation of 17,000 hectares of agricultural land and drinking water for 200,000 people. It also produces energy to supply 500,000 households.
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Visit to the Alqueva Dam.
Downstream in the Marshland Nature Reserve in Castro Marim, the group discovered how the wetlands in the delta area are preserved to form an important sanctuary for birds and marine life.
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Visit to the Marshland Nature Reserve.
The Blue Peace ME Guadiana River Basin Study Tour was supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).