Major stakeholders in the Mediterranean water sector meet to discuss sustainable water management
The city of Valencia has hosted the Mediterranean Water Week from 19 to 23 September. This five-day event has counted on the participation of the Mediterranean Water Institute (IME), the General Directorate of Water of the Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO), the Mediterranean Network of River Basin Authorities (REMOC), the Jucar River Basin Authority, the City Council of Valencia and the Spanish Agency for International Development (AECID). They came together to organize a series of activities to enable the transition towards efficient and sustainable water management in the countries of the Mediterranean Basin.
The work sessions and discussions revolved around relevant issues such as water stress, water planning, financing of infrastructures and climate change, as well as governance and mobilization of non-conventional resources.
The IME marked their 40th anniversary by presenting the activities they conduct on a regional scale, some in collaboration with the World Water Council. The session devoted to cooperation and development consisted of a seminar addressing the AECID Masar Water Programme and an expert working group meeting of the 5+5 Dialogue addressing water strategy in the western Mediterranean. Raúl Compés, director of CIHEAM Zaragoza, participated in both sessions.
The five countries involved in the 5+5 Dialogue from the southern Mediterranean are Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia and the five European countries involved are France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain. The aim of this forum for dialogue is to promote an action plan to overcome the consequences of climate change on the water resources of the Mediterranean Basin.
During this session, the experts reinforced their intention to set up training programmes and foster knowledge transfer and capacity-building in order to work together to determine which actions and solutions can provide added value in various fields such as integrated management of non-conventional water resources, modernization of agricultural infrastructures or efficient and sustainable management of river basins.
Water management and governance, a priority for CIHEAM Zaragoza
The sustainable management of water resources is one of CIHEAM Zaragoza’s priority areas of specialization and holds a prominent place in their training offer and capacity-building activities, designed in accordance with the interests of the 13 member countries of this Mediterranean organization (Albania, Algeria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey).
CIHEAM Zaragoza delivers their International Master in Sustainable Water Management and Governance in Natural and Agricultural Environments from September 2022 to July 2024, with the collaboration of professionals of considerable international prestige. This master’s programme prepares students to face the challenges in water management and governance with an integrated, multidisciplinary focus, addressing issues related to hydrology, biophysics, economics, institutions, regulation, policies and planning.
The Institute has also delivered over twenty advanced courses for professionals on different topics related to water management and governance, such as of wastewater reuse in agriculture, water and energy in Mediterranean rural areas, ecological restoration of Mediterranean rivers or integrated planning strategies for water resources in the Mediterranean region.