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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

EU commitments on water for peace and security: strengthening water governance, cooperation and protection during armed conflict

European Union (
Intergovernmental organization
)
#SDGAction50812
Description
Description

Commitments of the European Union on water for peace and security: strengthening water governance, cooperation and protection during armed conflict: 1. The EU commits to improve transboundary cooperation across water basins, including aquifers, to strengthen regional integration, and make water a key driver for sustainable development, green transition, and peace through: - committing over €380 million under NDICI-Global Europe, contributing to Global Gateway on transboundary water management actions, working with countries, basin organisations and regional bodies. Together with its Member States and the European Investment Bank, Team Europe has launched two new flagship initiatives on transboundary water management in Africa and Central Asia. Together, Team Europe is making over €1.1 billion available for transboundary water cooperation working on improved governance, knowledge, and investments with at least 47 countries, in 18 major transboundary water basins; - addressing the water-security link, including with regard to transboundary cooperation on water management, in the context of the ongoing EU-United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) partnership on climate and environmental security. The recently launched second phase will engage over the coming 4 years on key issues related to climate change and environmental degradation and their effects on peace and security in regions such as the Horn of Africa, the Sahel and the Middle East and North Africa; - active promotion of further accessions to, and compliance with, the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (the Water Convention), which is open for accession to all United Nations (UN) Member States; - advocacy on transboundary water cooperation through engagement in the Transboundary Water Cooperation Coalition. 2. In the context of its support to multilateralism on water with the UN at its core, the EU will support in particular: - UN Water’s engagement at global and country level to overcome fragmentation of the water sector; - the global SDG 6 monitoring framework; - international, regional and country level advocacy on the right to water and sanitation; - the work of a possible future UN Special Envoy on water; and will further politically engage in support of the development of a UN system-wide approach and the effective implementation of the Water Action Agenda as well as the organization of regular UN conferences on water, in order to ensure regular high-level multi-stakeholder and intergovernmental dialogue on water. 3. The EU commits to advocacy activities on humanitarian WASH and international humanitarian law (IHL) under the work programme of the 2023 European Humanitarian Forum. 4. The EU commits to support the link between international humanitarian law (IHL) and humanitarian WASH aid through the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Advocacy Plans, especially in regions where civilian water infrastructure is increasingly under attack (such as Sahel region, Ukraine).

Expected Impact

1: Improved transboundary cooperation across water basins, including aquifers, to strengthen regional integration, and make water a key driver for sustainable development, green transition, and peace. 2: Accelerating implementation of SDG 6 globally by overcoming fragmentation of the water sector in countries and within the UN system. 3. and 4.: increased awareness on humanitarian WASH and international humanitarian law.

Partners

EU national governments (Team Europe Initiatives) European Investment Bank (EIB) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

False
Action Network
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Timeline
14 March 2023 (start date)
31 December 2030 (date of completion)
Entity
European Union
SDGs
Region
  1. Africa
  2. Asia and Pacific
  3. West Asia
  4. Global
Other beneficiaries

- individuals and communities in Africa and Central Asia - individuals and communities in the Horn of Africa, the Sahel and the Middle East and North Africa - individuals and communities along transboundary water bodies whose national governments comply with the UNECE Water Convention

Countries
European Commission
European Commission
Contact Information

Mr Arnaud de Vanssay