UNESCO-backed Water for Peace or Conflict Seminar Highlights Transboundary Cooperation

The Permanent Delegation of Sweden, with the in-kind collaboration of the Water Sciences Division of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has organized a seminar titled "Water for Peace or Conflict: Prospects for improved water cooperation."

The seminar was held on 16 April 2013, at UNESCO headquarters, in Paris, France, as a side event to the 191st Session of the UNESCO Executive Board.

Seminar participants included: Gretchen Kalonji, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, UNESCO; Anders Jägerskog, Director, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI); and Teferra Beyene, Executive Director, Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat. The event aimed at drawing attention to pertinent issues for international water cooperation, including: what challenges should be addressed and what are the immediate actions to be taken in order to promote water cooperation; and the importance of cooperation on transboundary waters with a particular focus on tools and methods for the promotion of cooperation, as well as the need for improved knowledge in this area.

Jägerskog reported on the work carried out by SIWI on water cooperation and the UNESCO category 2 center on water cooperation, proposed by the Swedish Government. Beyene illustrated the challenges of transboundary cooperation by citing the example of the Nile Basin Initiative, a project which aims to achieve sustainable socioeconomic development through cooperation on the common Nile Basin water resources.

According to the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO, the outcome of the seminar showed that international and transboundary cooperation on water is not an option but an absolute need in order to obtain a fair utilization of common water resources and achieve sustainable development. The outcome of the event will be further discussed during World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden, in September 2013.