On December 11, a ceremony was held in Vienna (Austria) to transfer the presidency of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) from the Republic of Slovenia to Ukraine. The Ukrainian delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Irina Ovcharenko, participated in the 28th meeting of the Heads of Delegations and the handover ceremony.
Ukraine's presidency will last for one year and will be the second in the history of our state since 2011. During this time, the Ukrainian delegation will focus on three key areas: water resource management in the context of climate change with a focus on floods, droughts, and water resilience; assessing the ecological impacts of Russia's war against Ukraine on the Danube, its delta, and sub-basins; supporting the updated Danube River Basin Management Plan for 2027 and enhancing cooperation among basin countries.
Ukraine's presidency emphasizes the strengthening of our state's role in European water policy and contributes to deeper integration into the European ecological space. The experience of Danube countries will help synchronize policies and legal norms, strengthen Ukraine's position during the negotiation process regarding EU membership, and draw attention to the issues and sustainable development of the Danube basin.
Ukraine has taken the presidency of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River; now our country has a unique opportunity to contribute to the management of water resources and the ecological development of the Danube basin together with other countries in the region.