Gathered today in Valetta, Malta, for a meeting hosted by the Maltese Government, ministers in charge of Water from the 43 members of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) agreed to develop a UfM Water Agenda to further enhance regional cooperation on water. They recalled the unique features of the Mediterranean region, which makes it particularly vulnerable to water scarcity and climate change.

The UfM Water agenda is expected to lead to a consensual regional water policy framework that offers a means for substantial and measurable positive impact towards sustainable livelihood in the region. It will also contribute to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals and targets, in particular SDG 6 on Water, as well as address the adverse effects of climate change in the region.

The meeting was co-chaired by the EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, the Jordanian Minister of Water and Irrigation, Hazim El-Naser and the Deputy Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean for Water and Environment, Miguel García-Herraiz.

Ministers agreed that the new policy framework will help UfM Member States to implement sustainable and integrated water resources management in a comprehensive manner, thus promoting progressive integration, synergies and coordination among the water and other inter-linked sectors.

The UfM Water Agenda will be elaborated by the UfM Water Expert Working Group (WEG) and will include:

• A Work Programme to provide a suite of recommendations, proposals and initiatives helping UfM members to apply Integrated Water Resources Management approaches and to ensure a better coordination with other sectors in the UfM region.

• A Financial Strategy to support the implementation of the UfM Water Agenda, promote the progressive deployment of financial resources and facilitate access to the existing financial resources across the UfM region.

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Press release

UfM Ministerial Declaration

UfM – Water & Environment