This mission report describes the finding of technical experts deployed to support drought response in Bolivia.

In 2016, Bolivia continued to suffer an ongoing drought. The drought affected 131 municipalities in seven out of the country’s nine departments. In response to a Government request for emergency support, the UN Environment/OCHA Joint Unit – with the support of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism – coordinated the deployment of two hydrogeological experts in September 2016. The experts were deployed to support the Bolivian Government and UN agencies in mitigating the effects of the drought through the provision of technical advice regarding public investment for deep well water extraction projects. Through a critical analysis of the public water supply elements of the proposed drought relief program, the mission developed specific recommendations which strengthen the viability of the overall drought program. The mission also facilitated coordination between actors politically distanced from each other and helped local institutions with substantive expertise and community networks engage in the decision-making process. The experts’ mission findings were incorporated into a drilling project implemented by the Inter-American Development Bank.

The report is in Spanish with an executive summary in English. You can consult the report here.