In response to recent devastating floods in Central and Eastern Europe and a drought emergency in Southern Africa, cross-border water management has become a pressing issue on the global political agenda. Against this backdrop, the 10th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention will convene in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from 23 to 25 October 2024. This major event is co-organized by the Government of Slovenia and the Secretariat of the Water Convention, hosted by UNECE.
Key milestone in transboundary water cooperation
Convened exactly seven months after World Water Day, which focused on leveraging water for peace, this session marks a significant milestone for the Water Convention. It aims to support peace through water, including the signing of transboundary agreements, and to address ongoing global environmental crises. Participants will focus on crucial topics such as climate change adaptation, the source-to-sea approach, the water-food-energy-ecosystems nexus, and financing transboundary water cooperation.
One of the key outcomes expected from the meeting is the adoption of an innovative work programme for 2025-2027, alongside other important decisions, including on more financial sustainability of the Convention.
High-Level Segment: "Our Waters, Our Future"
The high-level segment on 23 October, entitled "Our Waters, Our Future: Transboundary Water Cooperation to Power Climate Resilience," will bring together more than 30 high-level participants and will facilitate strategic discussions on how transboundary water cooperation can enhance climate adaptation and mitigation. It will emphasize cross-sectoral collaboration and ecosystem preservation. The conclusions from this segment will contribute to discussions at the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (11-22 November 2024).
Launch of key publications
Three new publications will be presented and launched at the meeting to further support transboundary water cooperation:
-
Good Practices and Lessons Learned in Data-Sharing in Transboundary Basins
A global gathering for water cooperation
With over 500 participants registered, including 30+ high-level representatives from more than 80 countries, this event will be a pivotal platform for advancing transboundary water cooperation. Participants will include government officials from Ministries of Water, Environment, Foreign Affairs, and Development Cooperation, along with representatives from international organizations, NGOs, financial institutions, and academia.
Fourteen side events will be organized by partners alongside the main sessions to promote deeper engagement on specific water-related issues.
Match-making to accelerate cooperation
On 22 October 2024, a one-day match-making event entitled "Accelerating Transboundary Cooperation and the Implementation of the Water Convention in New Parties" will be held. This event will foster partnerships and mobilize support to accelerate transboundary water cooperation for new Parties to the Convention.
About the UN Water Convention
The Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (UN Water Convention) is a key framework for promoting transboundary water cooperation and ensuring sustainable water management. Since its adoption in 1992, it has grown to include 55 Parties from different regions of the world.
