From Istanbul to Rome: the One Water Committee and CIHEAM Bari set the course for the Euro-Mediterranean Forum

Italy is among the key players on the opening day of the 5th Istanbul International Water Forum, which until tomorrow brings together institutions, international organizations, and experts along the Bosphorus under the theme “Strengthening Water Resilience: Innovation to Action.” Representing Italy is a joint delegation from the One Water Committee and CIHEAM Bari, presenting in Istanbul a dense agenda clearly intertwined with preparations for the upcoming Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum in Rome.
In the afternoon, a bilateral meeting took place between Marco Rago, representing the One Water Committee and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Joan Borrell, Deputy Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean. The discussion strengthened a path already underway for months and confirmed the alignment between the Committee and the UfM on the strategic role of Mediterranean cooperation in water governance, ahead of the Rome event. Shortly afterward, a coordination meeting was held with the Union for the Mediterranean, the Institut Méditerranéen de l’Eau, the One Water Committee, and CIHEAM Bari, entirely focused on the Euro-Mediterranean Forum. Key priorities were outlined for Rome, including water security, cross-border cooperation, the WEFE nexus, and financing sustainable infrastructure.
The Istanbul Forum program itself speaks to Rome more than it might appear. The high-level dialogue “Paradigm Shift in a Changing World: Water and the Bridging Power of Istanbul” emphasized water as a bridge between different shores—an idea that resonates strongly with the spirit of the Euro-Mediterranean Forum. The panel “One Water One Health”reinforced the integrated approach that gives the Committee its name, while the session “Water Resilience for Climate Adaptation – COP31 Pathway” connected global climate negotiations to the Mediterranean, one of the regions most exposed to climate risks.
The second day features a packed schedule of bilateral meetings between the One Water delegation and key stakeholders present in Istanbul. It will begin with the ministerial delegation of Senegal, co-chair of the 2026 UN Water Conference, to align visions and content ahead of the major UN event. This will be followed by a bilateral meeting with Turkey, the host country and Co-President of UNFCCC COP3, and a meeting with the Saudi Minister of Water to assess Saudi Arabia’s participation in the Euro-Mediterranean Forum in Rome, as well as Italy’s presence at the World Water Forum in Riyadh in 2027.
This sequence confirms how Istanbul is already serving as a springboard toward the two major upcoming milestones for the global water community—and how central Italy and the Euro-Mediterranean space are in this trajectory.