Commissioner Roswall's opening remarks, 2nd Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Ministerial Meeting on Water

Minister Tajani, Minister Abu Soud, Secretary General Hajali,

Good afternoon your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.

It is an honour for me to be here representing the EU as Co-President of the Union for the Mediterranean at this 2nd Ministerial meeting on Water.

The countries of the Mediterranean are close neighbours and key partners. We share the same sea – it has been a means for exchanging ideas, trading and building friendships between us for centuries.   We also share common environmental and climate concerns, and we recognize that we are more effective when we address these together.

The challenges in the Mediterranean region are great and growing, so this meeting and our joint Declaration could not have come at a better time.

The Mediterranean region is warming around 20% faster than the global average. Across the region, we are already seeing the growing impact of droughts, floods, pollution and water scarcity. These pressures affect our citizens, our farmers, our ecosystems and our economies.

The last six months  have seen unprecedented heat and lack of rainfall in the EU, with the fear that this will become the new normal. Across Europe, we see the devastating consequences this summer: threats to energy supply, trade, and growth.

Protecting our water systems is therefore not just an environmental priority – it is integral for our food production, our health, our energy security, and for our overall wellbeing.

We are confronted at the same time with too much, too little or water that is too polluted to meet are multiple needs.

But water does not stop at national frontiers. Decisions made in one country, one city, or one river basin ripples across economies and ecosystems, and can impact millions downstream.

Today's Ministerial Declaration can play an important part in improving sustainable water management in the region as a whole with its focus on: