Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 

Water is a strategic resource and an essential element of national and regional security. Water scarcity, lack of access to water, and pollution can threaten socio-economic development and political stability and are potential triggers for tensions and conflicts. Climate change puts an additional stress on water resources.  But water can also be a source of co-operation: jointly managing water can lead to improved relations among countries and communities, and enhance security, prosperity and the protection of the environment.

More than 150 rivers and lakes are shared by two or more of the OSCE participating States. The OSCE promotes good water governance by its participating States and supports them in jointly managing water resources. The signing and ratification of the Dniester Treaty between Moldova and Ukraine and the establishment of the Dniester Commission, the establishment of the Chu-Talas River Basin Commission that brings together Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the facilitation of negotiations for a bilateral agreement between Azerbaijan and Georgia on the Kura River Basin, and the promotion of water co-operation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan are some of its achievements that contribute to meeting the targets of this goal.

The OSCE also addresses water-related disasters and assists with the restoration of water-related ecosystems to mitigate floods. It trains national authorities and practitioners on flood risk reduction. Workshops exercises cover topics such as flood risk modelling and mapping in vulnerable areas, vulnerability assessments and flood risk communication between riparian countries.