27/10/2026
'Turning shared water challenges into opportunities for cooperation, resilience, and peace at CyI. A great example of how knowledge, dialogue, and international collaboration can contribute to a more sustainable and secure future'.
'Hydrodiplomacy – a tool for climate and environmental resilience, peace, and security'
We are delighted to have the 5-day training on “Hydrodiplomacy: a tool for climate and environmental resilience, peace, and security,” conducted by the Cyprus Security and Defence Academy and The Cyprus Institute in cooperation with the University of Balamand and its Climate Diplomacy & Sustainable Peace Hub, under the auspices of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), in Nicosia, Cyprus, this month!
This course is one of the pilot activities from the ESDC’s configuration on Climate Change, Environment, Security and Defence (CCESD), enabling participants to understand how and under which conditions the cooperative management of transboundary water resources can strengthen resilience, support sustainable development, advance peacebuilding efforts, and help prevent conflict.
Together with our esteemed Course Director, Prof. Fadi Comair, international trainers, policy-makers and practitioners offered valuable insights into hydrodiplomacy from a holistic perspective.
Participants learnt to:
*Understand the strategic importance of water security as a key dimension of human security, environmental security, and international peace and stability.
*Examine the role of hydrodiplomacy, mediation, and negotiation in preventing and managing disputes over shared water resources.
*Analyze the interlinkages between climate change, environmental degradation, water insecurity, and emerging security risks.
*Explore how international water law, multilateral cooperation, and river basin governance mechanisms contribute to regional stability and peace.
*Assess the implications of the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus for sustainable resource management/governance and resilience.
*Enable participants to apply hydrodiplomatic approaches to support conflict prevention, crisis management, and environmental peacebuilding.
Designed as executive and practice-oriented course, participants used real cases to unpack the complexity of water security. Learnings from this scenario exercise will help us improve climate resilience for the EU, like-minded partners, and the planet – making us fit for the future. Moreover, a concrete example of how training contributes to bridging siloes and building partnerships.
The course brought together high-level speakers, who addressed participants, showcasing leadership in advancing hydrodiplomacy.
We express our sincere thanks to:
-Prof. Stavros Malas, The Cyprus Institute;
-Prof. Elias Warrak, University of Balamand;
-H.E. Vasilis Palmas, Minister of Defence, Cyprus;
-Senator Olivier Cadic, Vice-President of the Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Armed Forces Committee in the French State;
-Mr. Alain Meyssonnier, President, Institut Méditerranéen de l'Eau;
-Prof Costas Papanicolas, Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts;
-H.E. Dr Muhammad Abdul Ati, Former Minster of Water Resources, Arab Republic of Egypt;
-H.E. Dr Hassan Janabi, Former Minister of Water Resources, Republic of Iraq;
-H.E. Dr Shadad Attili, Former Minister of Water Resources, Palestine;
-Prof. Michael Scoullos, Chair, GWP-Med;
-Prof. Isam Shahrour, Lille University.
-Ms. Florence Daumas, Délégué Générale du CFE.
Beyond our Course Director, speakers, and participants, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Col. Symeon Zambas, and Dr. Chrysanthia Leontiou, and their entire teams at The Cyprus Institute, the Cyprus Security and Defence Agency, as well as the University of Balamand for the excellent cooperation!
We are already looking forward to the next training activity of the ESDC’s CCESD “Energy Security,” which will take place from 10 to 12 November 2026 in Brussels, Belgium.
