Water resource management in North Macedonia

In 2023, the Groundwater Programme in North Macedonia was launched, and in 2024 it was expanded to include surface water in response to requests from local partners. This shift towards a more holistic approach adds complexity but offers significant benefits. One key advantage is that SKAT is also implementing a programme on Integrated Water Resources Management in Kosovo. By connecting our two local teams, both benefit from exchanging knowledge with their counterparts.

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The Groundwater Management, Use and Protection Programme (GWP) is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and SKAT implements it with its local consortium partner, Point Pro Consulting. Our goal is to protect water resources sustainably while enhancing coordination among water users, thereby improving the standard of living for many people in North Macedonia.

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A central focus of the project is the development of legislative and regulatory frameworks that align with EU accession requirements, with the River Basin Management Plan at its core. Together with key partners from Civil Society Organisations and drawing on insights from our project in Kosovo, we developed an effective strategy to engage key stakeholders across the whole country. Recognising the shortage of water professionals in the region, we have recruited four Young Professionals to help build local capacity and expertise in North Macedonia.

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In 2025, the GWP Programme made substantial progress across all three outcomes: strengthening institutional capacity and developing a new generation of water professionals through training, secondments, and the launch of lifelong learning courses; completing a comprehensive package of legal alignment with EU water directives to support North Macedonia’s EU accession process; and advancing technical components of the programme. At its technical core, the Significant Water Management Issues report for the Vardar River Basin was drafted — a key milestone in the development of the River Basin Management Plan — and the monitoring infrastructure of the Hydrometeorological Service was substantially upgraded with new vehicles, equipment, and an enhanced water information system. Anchoring these achievements was the inaugural “Vardar Days 2025” event, which brought together government institutions, civil society, and the private sector to discuss water management priorities, signalling the programme’s growing role as a convening force in North Macedonia’s water sector.

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