Text · Opinion parliamentary committee draft
On a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on promoting transnational governance on water in the interests of conflict prevention and peace
Full title
On a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on promoting transnational governance on water in the interests of conflict prevention and peace
Document DEVE-PA-782400 · 2025/2216(INI)
- Kind
- Opinion parliamentary committee draft DEVE-PA-782400
- Date
- 19 February 2026
- Committee
- Committee on Development
- Rapporteur
- György Hölvényi
- Dossier
- 2025/2216(INI)
More facts (3)
- Formats
- Official page PDF Word
- Subject matter
- c_6f402b92, ENV
- Reference
- 2025/2216(INI)
Text
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Back matter, 1
Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.
Amendments 166 blocks
The Committee on Development submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible:
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| B. whereas access to water is a human right and a prerequisite for stability and peace; | B. whereas access to water is a human right and a prerequisite for stability and peaceful coexistence in regions where water scarcity often results in emerging conflict hotspots between neighbouring communities and countries; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| C. whereas climate change represents a major threat to water resources and aquatic ecosystems, and exacerbates water stress; | C. whereas the impact of climate change represents a major threat to water resources and aquatic ecosystems and exacerbates water stress; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| E. whereas transboundary aquifers, lakes and river basins shared by two or more countries make up 60 % of the world’s freshwater flows; | E. whereas 60 % of the world’s freshwater flows are composed of transboundary aquifers, lakes and river basins shared by two or more countries; whereas cooperative transnational water governance, including basin-level agreements and joint management institutions, can help mitigate tensions, stabilise vulnerable regions and address the drivers of displacement and instability; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| G. whereas water stress and unilateral actions by countries in transboundary waters, such as pollution or overexploitation, or the construction of infrastructure has implications for all states bordering those waters; whereas disputes over access to water feed into and may fuel wider conflicts, with severe consequences for regional stability and human security; | G. whereas water stress and unilateral actions by countries in transboundary waters, such as pollution or overexploitation, or the construction of infrastructure, have implications for all states bordering those waters; whereas disputes over access to water feed into and may fuel wider conflicts, with severe consequences for regional stability and human security; whereas chronic water deficits in developing regions undermine livelihoods, food security and socioeconomic stability, contributing to internal and cross-border migration; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| H. whereas even though historically water has functioned as a catalyst for cooperation, over the last 10 years conflict over water has exceeded cooperation; | H. whereas water scarcity results in an increasing number of conflicts between countries sharing the same water source, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa; whereas enhanced transboundary cooperation, dialogue and mutual understanding are needed to ensure the sustainable management of scarce water resources and to mitigate conflicts; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Ha. whereas only 9 % of the globe’s renewable freshwater resources are located on the African continent, while, according to UN estimations, 25 % of the global population is projected to live in Africa by 2050; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Hb. whereas about 50 % of the total workforce in Sub-Saharan Africa is employed in the agricultural sector, contributing approximately 15 % of the continent’s total GDP; whereas over 60 % of the population depends on farming, largely through smallholder farming systems, including 33 million women smallholder farmers; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Hc. whereas Africa has 65 % of the world’s remaining uncultivated arable land, while rain-fed agriculture dominates production, and only 7 % of its agricultural land is irrigated; whereas the African Development Bank estimates that African countries spend about USD 65 billion on food imports, an amount that continues to increase; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Hd. whereas 167 million Africans faced acute food insecurity in 2025; whereas 52 million people in West and Central Africa are expected to struggle to meet their food needs, and about 4.9 million people in the Lake Chad Basin are also at risk of food insecurity; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| He. whereas nearly two thirds of Africa’s labour force currently works in water-dependent sectors such as agriculture and mining; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Hf. whereas about 845 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to safely managed drinking water; whereas unsafe water and insufficient sanitation cause more than one million deaths in Africa per year; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Hg. whereas, according to estimates by the World Bank, a lack of water is linked to a 10 % increase in migration; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Hh. whereas about 590 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to energy; whereas hydropower accounted for about 30-40 % of the region’s energy mix; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| I. whereas upstream users of water systems have some relative advantages over the downstream users; | I. whereas upstream users of water systems have some relative advantages over the downstream users; whereas energy projects, agri- and aquaculture, require substantial water capacity and coordination between upstream users and downstream users; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Ia. whereas cooperative water strategies that strengthen livelihoods and adaptive capacities are essential to reduce displacement and promote sustainable peace and stability; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Ib. whereas, through investments in water treatment, desalination and wastewater infrastructure, the Global Gateway can contribute to strengthening water security and climate resilience, thereby reducing resource-related tensions and supporting conflict prevention and regional stability; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (aa) recognise that water is a fundamental element of national sovereignty, while the responsible management of transboundary water sources and continued dialogue are essential for regional stability and security; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) address the lack of operational agreements between governments sharing transboundary water basins and make all necessary EU expertise and technical and financial assistance available to support governments in establishing and implementing such arrangements as well as river basin organisations; | (b) address the lack of operational water management agreements between governments sharing transboundary water basins and make all necessary EU expertise, best practices and technical assistance available to support governments and local partners in establishing and implementing such arrangements; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ba) enhance EU investments, both under the Global Gateway initiative and the proposed Global Europe instrument, in sustainable water management technologies, drought-resistant agricultural technologies, and sustainable hydropower development, ensuring equitable benefit-sharing and respect for the rights and needs of downstream users; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (c) strengthen the role transnational water governance plays in EU external action and diplomacy and to this end provide the European External Action Service (EEAS) and EU Delegations around the world with the appropriate financial and human resources to initiate and accompany transboundary water management and diplomacy activities on the ground within and between partner countries; | (c) strengthen the role of transnational water governance in EU external action and diplomacy; call on the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Commission to support Member States to meaningfully engage in water management and water diplomacy, particularly in Africa; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (d) ensure increased and steady funding for EU transboundary water management in EU external action under the next multiannual financial framework; | (d) ensure adequate funding for EU transboundary water management in EU external action under the next multiannual financial framework, promoting sustainable water management and aquaculture that benefit local communities; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (e) expand the geographic scope of EU transboundary water governance projects beyond Africa and Central Asia to the Americas, the Middle East and North Africa, and East and South Asia through a Team Europe approach; | delete |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ea) intensify peacebuilding efforts in partner countries and regions by fostering water resilience, in order to promote stability in partner countries and to tackle the root causes of migration; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (f) strengthen multilateral cooperation on water, notably within the UN by continuing and stepping up the globalisation of the UN Water Convention and supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG6 on clean water and sanitation; | (f) explore possibilities for more efficient multilateral cooperation on water, including within the UN system, which has so far failed to address water-related challenges; reinforce bilateral cooperation on water across shared basins to improve food security and strengthen food supply chains in Africa; emphasise that regional organisations, such as the African Union, may play an important role in strengthening water diplomacy and dialogue on transboundary water management; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (h) work wherever possible to ensure clean and high-quality water, promote sustainable water management and implement various innovative water technologies, including nature-based solutions; | (h) work wherever possible to ensure clean and high-quality water, promote sustainable water management and implement various innovative water technologies, including nature-based solutions; invest in water filtration facilities and water and sanitation infrastructure to prevent shortages and resource-based conflicts; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (k) strengthen EU monitoring and early warning capacities through digitalisation and modern technologies; strengthen the monitoring of water scarcity and water-related conflict risks worldwide, such as the weaponisation of water and water infrastructure and deliberate deprivation of water access, making it a part of the conflict-prevention systems of the EEAS Crisis Response Centre; | (k) strengthen EU monitoring and early warning capacities through digitalisation and modern technologies; strengthen the monitoring of water scarcity and water related conflict risks, such as the weaponisation of water and water infrastructure and deliberate deprivation of water access; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (m) appoint a high-ranking EU official as EU Special Representative tasked with preventing and resolving water-related conflicts, promoting water cooperation, and protecting water sources and systems, including during armed conflicts and in transboundary settings; | delete |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (na) enhance investment and promote the sharing of expertise in drought-resistant agriculture and sustainable water management, fostering water-efficient irrigation systems that prevent over-extraction while increasing agricultural productivity and reducing reliance on rainfall and fluctuating water conditions; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (nb) develop cooperative regional frameworks to ensure safe and orderly mobility, including legal recognition and protection mechanisms for populations affected by climate- and water-related challenges, and coordinate cross-border standards for migration management and resource sharing to mitigate tensions and reduce vulnerability in receiving areas; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (nc) strengthen urban water governance through cross-border knowledge sharing and coordinated planning, particularly in regions experiencing climate-driven inflows, to reinforce resilience, stability and social cohesion across interconnected regions; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (nd) promote the anticipatory and cooperative management of climate-related water challenges to enhance mutual trust and prevent crisis-driven conflict, ensuring that water governance frameworks prioritise transparency, cooperation and resilience to safeguard the sustainable and peaceful use of shared water resources; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ne) strengthen institutional capacity, legal frameworks and cooperative water governance in partner countries through Team Europe partnerships under the Global Gateway, and elevate water security, combining EU grants, European Investment Bank/European Bank for Reconstruction and Development financing and technical assistance to support cooperative, basin-level solutions; |
| Draft recommendation | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (nf) foster cross-border dialogue, shared responsibility for transboundary resources, and long-term regional peace architectures through coordinated, governance-focused interventions; |
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Sources & citation
Where the facts on this page come from, and how to cite it.
- Data source
- Licensed CC BY 4.0.
- Retrieved
- 25 September 2026
Cite as
European Parliament (2026). “DRAFT OPINION on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on promoting transnational governance on water in the interests of conflict prevention and peace”. Text, 19 February 2026. docId DEVE-PA-782400. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/DEVE-PA-782400 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/DEVE-PA-782400 (CC BY 4.0).
BibTeX
@misc{epw-text-deve-pa-782400,
author = {{European Parliament}},
title = {{DRAFT OPINION on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on promoting transnational governance on water in the interests of conflict prevention and peace}},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-02-19},
howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/DEVE-PA-782400}},
url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/DEVE-PA-782400},
urldate = {2026-09-25},
publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
note = {Text. docId DEVE-PA-782400. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}