UNESCO and WMO renew cooperation in hydrology and water resources |
On 25 November 2013 at the UN Headquarters, UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, and the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Michel Jarraud, signed an agreement on reaffirming the long term cooperation between the two Organizations in the field of hydrology and water resources. While maintaining respective programmes in line with their fields of competence, the two Organizations recognized the necessity of close cooperation between their work on freshwater, and expressed their common determination to maintain and develop this collaboration in water sciences and water resources. UNESCO and WMO have had one of the longest partnerships in the UN system, with the first agreement signed in 1954. Both agencies have the oldest programmes in the field of hydrology in the UN, and this new agreement shows the long-standing joint interest in collaboration on technical and scientific matters. Praising this renewal of cooperation, Ms Bokova said »this agreement will strengthen the already exemplary collaboration between UNESCO and WMO in the areas of freshwater, ocean and climate change«. For his part, Mr Jarraud indicated that this renewed commitment will also play a beneficial role in strengthening the coordination between the UNESCO and WMO hydrology programmes. |