Dacic on importance of water ahead of World Water Day

VIENNA - Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ivica Dacic stated on Friday that water is an important subject for OSCE because it can be a cause of conflicts, just like cooperation on water-related matters can serve as a means for conflict prevention.

Ahead of the World Water Day, Dacic said that countering challenges in sectors of food, water, energy and climate changes calls for joint efforts because they can help erase borders between societies and countries.

We learnt this in the Western Balkans during the terrible floods last May, Dacic said as quoted in the OSCE release, adding that water is a common good which is why a fair manner of distribution of benefits and responsibilities in water governance needs to be found.

The topic of this year's OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum will be 'Water governance in the OSCE area - increasing security and stability through co-operation'.

The next meetings will be held in Belgrade from May 11 to 13 and in Prague from September 14 to 16.

Photo Tanjug, S. Radovanovic (archive)