A center for water research in the Caribbean and Central America has been inaugurated in Santo Domingo during the commemorative week marking the 20th anniversary of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) National Committee in the DR. The Center for Sustainable Water Resource Management in the Caribbean Island Centers is sponsored by the IHP and UNESCO. The new center seeks to encourage and develop scientific research in water sciences, facilitate synergies between researchers in different states and promote south-south cooperation. Its aim is to promote and develop technologies, methodological tools and research to support the integrated management of water resources as a key element of sustainable development and country level and for the wider Central America and Caribbean region, particularly for Caribbean island states. It builds on an original DR-based initiative, the Water for Irrigation Technology Research Center (CITAR) launched in 2007 by the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI) that prioritizes irrigation issues and an inter-sectorial focus on water management, especially water quality.