The workshop took stock of the progress achieved by MENA countries towards accession to the Water Convention, discussed common issues related to interpretation, accession and implementation of the Convention, as well as next steps and needed actions.

It was a follow up to the International Roundtable on Transboundary Water Resources Management in the Southern Mediterranean (Rome, 26-27 November 2012) and to the national and regional workshops held in the region since 2013.

The workshop was organized by the Government of Italy, in cooperation with the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) and UNECE, with the support of the Government of Hungary.It was held back-to-back with the Seventh session of the Meeting of the Parties to the UNECE Water Convention (17-19 November 2015, Budapest, Hungary).