Our water resources represent both an advantage and a responsibility - Minister of State in charge of EU Affairs Enikő Győri declared at the two-day international conference on water affairs in the Danube region on Wednesday.

At the conference organised by the Office for the EU Danube Region Strategy and the Hungarian Academy of Science, the Hungarian Minister of State said that Hungarians are particularly attached to water since their country abounds with water. This abundance means an advantage as well as a responsibility; it is an advantage because drinking water is becoming more and more valuable for the rapidly increasing population of the Earth, and it involves responsibility because we must take advantage of our waters while taking into consideration sustainable development and future generations.

Enikő Győri pointed out that cooperation on water affairs with neighbouring countries must be further developed so as to tackle together the environmental challenges - such as floods or drought - in the region. She recalled that the EU Danube Region Strategy - which is the macro-regional development strategy and action plan for the regions and countries that belong to the catchment area of the Danube River - was adopted during the Hungarian EU Presidency in 2011. The Hungarian Minister of State underlined that the upcoming Budapest Water Summit, to be held on October 8-11, would utilise the results of the conference.

Senior government officials from the 14 countries of the Danube region, the executives of the General Directorates for regional development and water affairs at the European Commission, the leaders and experts of international organizations, and leading researchers and consortiums of partner organizations are attending the two-day international conference in Budapest.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)