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Water Convention Press Releases

Displaying Results 1 - 25 of 138

A new report by UNECE and UNESCO sounds the alarm on the lack of international cooperation to manage shared rivers, lakes and aquifers, calling for urgent collaboration among countries. Slow progress threatens to delay joint strategies needed to address the intensifying impacts of droughts and
In response to severe drought and ongoing water scarcity, Zambia has joined the UN Water Convention to improve water management both within and across its borders. The country, which declared a National Crisis and Emergency in February 2024 due to a drought that has severely impacted food and
Zimbabwe, a landlocked country in drought-stricken Southern Africa, has joined the UN Water Convention in a clear demonstration of political will for water cooperation across borders. Home to some 17 million people, Zimbabwe faces pressing water challenges linked to climate change and competing
Faced with increasing water stress and climate change impacts on the water resources it shares with its neighbours, Cote d’Ivoire has joined the United Nations Water Convention – a UN treaty to improve joint water management across borders.  It is the 53rd Party to the Convention and 10th African
“Action for water is action for peace…Achieving it relies on far greater cooperation…We must accelerate efforts to work together across borders, and I urge all countries to join and implement the United Nations Water Convention – which promotes managing shared water resources sustainably.”   In
Today, a new project to be implemented by UNECE with the support of Switzerland was launched in Tashkent, underscoring Uzbekistan's commitment to improving water and health governance and safe management of industrial and tailing facilities.   Uzbekistan, the most populous Central Asian country,
Faced with increasing impacts of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, which together constitute the “triple planetary crisis”, no country can act alone. Like nature itself, these challenges know no borders, which makes international cooperation a crucial part of action to address them
Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) will be at the forefront of discussions at the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) on how to tackle the triple planetary crisis.  Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean will lead a UNECE delegation to UNEA-6, the world’s
Uzbekistan has joined to the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health, thereby becoming its 29th Party and the first country in Central Asia to join this treaty. Accession to the Protocol is expected to serve as a catalyst to further drive and streamline national action on water, sanitation,
Today, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan signed a joint statement on the approval of the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the Chu and Talas river basins aimed at effective transboundary cooperation in the context of climate change to ensure health, security and economic well-being for the 3 million
Climate change is a major stress factor for the world’s water resources, heightening risks of conflict in shared basins, threatening health and undermining sustainable development.   During high-level discussions held at COP28 on the thematic days on Peace, Security, and Health and on Agriculture
On 4 October 2023, North Macedonia became the 28th country to join the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health, thus committing to drive action on water, sanitation and hygiene, protecting its natural resources and fostering a healthier environment for its citizens.   The Protocol on Water
The Gambia has taken a decisive step for cooperative water action by officially becoming the 52nd Party to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (known as the UN Water Convention) and 9th Party in Africa. The Gambia’s accession comes within
Each year, across the pan-European region, an estimated 1.4 million deaths are linked to environmental risk factors, including pollution and climate change. To accelerate collective commitments for healthier people and a sustainable future, Ministers and representatives of pan-European countries
By becoming the first country from Latin America to accede to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), Panama today made a decisive step to support the sustainable use of transboundary water resources through cooperation
Iraq today made history as the first country in the Middle East to join the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (known as the UN Water Convention). It becomes the 49th Party to this unique international legal and intergovernmental framework, 
In an unprecedented political push for cross-border water cooperation, Ministers from Africa, Latin America and the Middle East have declared at the UN Water Conference their country’s resolve to join a key United Nations accord known as the Water Convention.   In what could constitute a major
Italy and Kazakhstan have committed to reinforce action to uphold human rights to water and sanitation for all by joining the UNECE/WHO Europe Protocol on Water and Health, at the milestone UN Water Conference in New York.   Hungary, as Chair of the Protocol, also shared its commitment to help
As leaders gather in New York for the milestone UN Water Conference, Nigeria has taken a decisive step for cooperative water action by officially becoming the 48th Party to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (known as the UN Water
40 countries, regional integration and international organizations, international financial institutions, NGOs, academic and research centers have made a united call at the United Nations 2023 Water Conference to step up global efforts for transboundary water cooperation.   A joint statement
When leaders gather in New York on 22-24 March for the first major UN Water Conference in almost 50 years, the world must not miss the opportunity to secure greater cooperation on shared waters – which account for some 60% of global freshwater flow – as a prerequisite to address the global water
Today, following the example of several countries in the region, Niger officially confirmed its desire to accede to the United Nations Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, more commonly known as the Water Convention. This upcoming accession is
While freshwater and marine specialists have largely worked in silos, nature has always worked as one: the land, freshwater, and ocean ecosystems are closely interlinked and interdependent. So must be their management.   Bringing together the freshwater and ocean communities, the Global Workshop
A new step was taken by Panama in its process to join the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) with the organization of a national workshop on 6-7 December, which gathered more than 60 stakeholders to identify priorities for
With water stress on the rise in shared river basins and aquifers, over 30 governments and organizations decide to join forces to push for greater cross-border water cooperation.  This year's terrible floods and droughts in almost all corners of the planet illustrate the critical importance of