Background and Rationale
Water security, sustainable water management and the efficient use of water resources are becoming increasingly critical challenges for Europe and, particularly, for Mediterranean countries. Climate change, increasing water demand, prolonged droughts, floods, pressure on water resources and the need to ensure sustainable agricultural production require new approaches to the way water is managed, monitored and used.
For Albania, these challenges have an additional strategic dimension in the context of the country's European integration process. The progressive alignment with the EU Water Acquis requires important improvements in integrated water resources management, river basin management, water quality and quantity monitoring, irrigation efficiency, environmental protection, institutional capacity, data management, reporting and implementation of European standards.
At the same time, Albania faces the pressing need to modernise its irrigation infrastructure, improve water-use efficiency and productivity in agriculture, strengthen monitoring and information systems, and introduce innovative digital and technological solutions for the planning, allocation and management of water resources.
The conference will provide a high-level international platform to place Albania's water challenges and priorities at the centre of the discussion, while drawing on relevant European and international experience, expertise and innovation.
The participation of CIHEAM Zaragoza and Spanish institutions, together with leading European academic and research institutions such as KIT Karlsruhe and BOKU Vienna, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the FAO Office in Albania, will create an important opportunity to connect Albania's priorities with European and international knowledge, experience and technological solutions.
Particular attention will be given to the experience of Spain and other Mediterranean countries, where water scarcity, irrigation modernisation and climate change have accelerated the development of more efficient irrigation systems, advanced monitoring technologies and innovative approaches to water governance and agricultural water management.
The conference will therefore seek not simply to present international experiences, but to address a central strategic question:
How can Albania modernise its water sector, strengthen water and food security, and progressively align its water management systems with European standards and requirements on its path towards EU membership?