In a speech at a Cyprus Institute event entitled "Water Diplomacy and Water Security in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Region", which was read by the official Yianna Economidou, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Costas Kadis said that the Republic of Cyprus has signed or is very close to signing Memoranda of Understanding for bilateral or trilateral cooperation with neighbouring states, including Greece, Israel, Qatar, Palestine, Jordan and Egypt to promote cooperation in the field of water resources.
As Kadis noted, Cyprus is optimistic that through collective action and by adopting cooperative approaches to solve common challenges, "we can contribute to a sustainable, integrated and climate-resilient management of water resources, while promoting peace and security in the region, which is of increased importance, especially now, in light of the ongoing armed conflict not far from us."
Elsewhere in his speech, Kadis said that both, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, emphasize the cross-cutting role of water and the strong linkages between water and many policies, including but not limited to Climate Change, Security, Energy, Health and Food.
Within this context, Water Diplomacy is an emerging concept that can provide additional means to address water-related challenges and can serve partnerships between states that share common water-related threats and challenges.
At the same time, he continued, water diplomacy is gaining ground in foreign policy formulation, as a tool for peace, security and stability, as exemplified in the EU Council conclusions on water diplomacy adopted in November 2018.
He also noted that this kind of cooperation is even more important in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region, which, according to research, are extremely vulnerable to the impact of climate change and have been categorized as one of the global "Climate Change Hotspots".
Kadis said that Cyprus, due to its geographical location and its excellent relations with its neighbouring countries, can play a leading role in the fight against climate change. This is why President Nicos Anastasiades launched an international initiative in 2019, taking a coordinating role in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region to reduce the impact of climate change.
The Institute's event was held in the context of the celebrations for World Water Day. During the Event, the 1st Declaration on World Water Day was signed by the President of the Cyprus Institute and the Director of the Energy, Environment and Water Resources Research Centre (EEWRC) of the Cyprus Institute, Fadi Comair.
The event was addressed by the Ambassador of France to Cyprus Salina Grenet Catalano, the President of the Cyprus Institute Costas Papanicolas, and through an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director General of the Ministry Cornelios Cornelius.
Source: CNA
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