The 2^nd National Meeting of Basin Councils was held June 6-10, 2016, in the municipality of Santa Cruz de Yojoa, Honduras

With the Secretariat of Energy, Environment and Mines (MiAmbiente) serving as host, the activity brought together delegates from nine councils working on behalf of national and transboundary river basins, as well as representatives of community and environmental organizations, State secretariats, and municipalities.

The objective was to strengthen basin councils by disseminating and systematizing experiences in order to expand knowledge for better water resource management in Honduras.  Lectures were given on water valuation and creating a water fund, experiences were shared, and delegates of the different basin councils engaged in group work.

Participants particularly appreciated learning about the integration and evolution of the Goascorán River Basin Council and its binational approach with El Salvador, because of the replicability of the experience and its scaling up in integration processes and/or organizational strengthening of the other basin councils in Honduras.

Main agreements and recommendations resulting from the meeting were to:

• Review international treaties and conventions to promote transboundary water resource management in Goascorán, Negro and Lempa basins;

• Expedite procedures for obtaining legal identity to facilitate the technical and financial sustainability of basin councils;

• Promote greater commitment on the part of municipal authorities as members of the basin councils; and

• Create a communication network to systematize and share information about the actions of basin councils.

The 2^nd National Meeting of Basin Councils in Honduras received financial and logistical support from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature through projects BRIDGE and Nuestra Cuenca.