Ministers and high-level officials from the 43 Member States of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) convened in Rome on Monday (28 Sep) for the 2nd UfM Ministerial Meeting on Water, marking the first such gathering since 2017.
Taking place amid mounting climate pressures and acute regional water scarcity, the summit serves as a crucial regional milestone ahead of the upcoming UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi and runs concurrently with the Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum (September 29–October 2, 2026).
The event was hosted by Antonio Tajani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, alongside the UfM Co-Presidency, represented by Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, and Raed Abu al-Soud, Minister of Water and Irrigation of Jordan.
The meeting was co-financed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf (DG MENA).
“The Mediterranean is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to water scarcity and the impacts of climate change. By setting out the priorities for national action and regional cooperation on sustainable water management, building a water-smart economy, climate adaptation and mitigation, financing and infrastructure, I’m convinced that today’s meeting will significantly contribute to enhanced water resilience in the region.”
Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy
Water ministers and high-level officials evaluated progress on the UfM Water Agenda and agreed on a strategic course for regional cooperation until 2030.
They endorsed the Second UfM Ministerial Declaration on Water, setting out the region’s ambition and priorities for achieving water-related Sustainable Development Goals from 2026 to 2030.
They also launched the Rome Initiative on Water as the Mediterranean’s contribution to the UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi this December. The Initiative will help turn national goals into practical project pipelines that can attract finance and build on existing structures and frameworks, including the EU Water Resilience Strategy and the Pact for the Mediterranean launched in November 2025.
The Rome Initiative on Water aims to benefit Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries, which often face constraints in accessing capacity-building support and financing for sustainable water projects.
Ministers and high-level representatives also endorsed three strategic frameworks, approved at the 15th Meeting of the UfM Regional Platform on Water in Barcelona in November 2025:
These adopted outcomes will help UfM Member States implement sustainable, integrated water resources management and enhance water resilience to increasing impacts of climate change in the region.
In particular, the Strategy for the WEFE Nexus will support progressive integration, synergies and coordination among water and other inter-linked sectors.
