The 5th edition of the Mediterranean Water Forum is set to take place from February 5 to 7 in Tunis, organized by the National Water Exploitation and Distribution Company (SONEDE) and the Mediterranean Institute of Water (IME).
Under the auspices of the World Water Council and the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean, and themed « Together for Shared Water Efficiency, » this forum serves as a pivotal step in the preparatory process for the World Water Forum scheduled for May 18 to 24, 2024, in Bali, Indonesia.
Positioned as a platform for the exchange and consolidation of expertise and experiences in the field of water in the Mediterranean, the forum aims to generate innovative solutions and responses while addressing the prolonged drought in the Mediterranean region in recent years, according to the organizers.
The objective is to bring together key stakeholders in the Mediterranean water community, offering innovative solutions to meet evolving water needs and fostering a conducive dialogue environment for the development of an equitable strategy for sustainable water resource management in the Mediterranean.
The forum seeks to make water a global, regional, and national policy priority.
The previous edition of the Mediterranean Water Forum took place in Malta in 2021, focusing on « Water Management in the Mediterranean Region: Challenges and Opportunities. »
Current national water resources amount to only 420 m3 per year per capita, making Tunisia one of the countries globally experiencing water stress, as reported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources, and Fisheries.
National water demand is expected to increase by 38% by 2050, according to the same source, while water resources are projected to continue decreasing, leading to a deficit of 28%.
