Rome:Ministers from the 43 member states of the Union for the Mediterranean have adopted a new ministerial declaration on water, establishing strategic priorities for advancing water-related UN Sustainable Development Goals and enhancing cross-border cooperation throughout the region.
According to the National news agency - Lebanon, the meeting also unveiled the Rome Water Initiative. This initiative aims to support the development, financing, and management of sustainable water systems in the Mediterranean, while simultaneously strengthening technical capacity and attracting investment.
The Union for the Mediterranean highlighted that water stress is intensifying across the Mediterranean due to climate change, environmental degradation, and demographic pressures. Currently, over 180 million people in the area are considered water-poor, with 70% of southern Europe's population residing in zones experiencing water stress during the summer months.
The meeting was co-chaired by EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall and Jordanian Water and Irrigation Minister Raed Abu Saud. It was hosted by Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, with UfM Acting Secretary-General Fadi Haj Ali also in attendance.
The participants committed to prioritizing water governance, the water-energy-food-ecosystems nexus, financing and investment, digitalization, and the intersection of water and climate. Tajani emphasized the necessity of sustainable water management for a more resilient and prosperous Mediterranean. Roswall pointed out the region's severe susceptibility to water scarcity and climate change. Abu Saud stressed that water security is a shared responsibility in the Mediterranean, requiring coordinated efforts, and cautioned against using water resources as a political tool or weapon.
Haj Ali noted that the Rome initiative would facilitate the translation of political commitments into tangible outcomes by linking financing, capacity-building, and project development across the region.