Danube Countries Gather in Uzhhorod for 24th ICPDR Standing Working Group Meeting
Uzhhorod, Ukraine, 11–12 June 2026 – The ICPDR has held its 24th Standing Working Group (SWG) Meeting in a hybrid format, bringing delegations and observers together in person in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, and online from across the Danube River Basin.
Opening the meeting, ICPDR President Ms Mariia Shpanchyk welcomed both the in-person and online participants, thanking those who travelled to Ukraine as a powerful sign of solidarity, and those joining remotely for their equally valuable contribution. "Our unity is stronger than distance or circumstance," she told participants.
In her address, the President reflected on a pivotal year for the Commission, marked by the launch of the "Fit for 2055" change process and the ongoing revision of the Danube River Basin Management Plan—even as Ukraine enters the fourth year of war following Russia's aggression. Against this backdrop, she reaffirmed the three guiding priorities of Ukraine's ICPDR Presidency:
- Addressing climate change impacts, by strengthening drought and flood management for greater water resilience across the basin;
- Enhancing the understanding of war impacts, through an initiative to assess the consequences of the war for the Lower Danube and the Danube Delta;
- Supporting implementation of the Danube River Basin Management Plan through peer learning, best practices, and integrated planning, including with the Prut Expert Group and the Dniester Commission.
A particular highlight of the meeting was the photo exhibition "Water in the Fire of War," presented by Ms. Tetiana Yatsiuk, Caritas Ukraine. The exhibition documents the devastating impact of the war on Ukraine's water infrastructure, also bearing witness to the resilience of communities working to secure clean water under extreme conditions.
Over two days, delegations took stock of progress across the ICPDR's technical topics. On river basin management, delegations adopted a revised structure for the upcoming Danube River Basin Management Plan, aimed at producing a more concise document focused on basin-wide priorities. On monitoring and assessment, delegations were informed of the latest developments in the 5th Joint Danube Survey (JDS5), with results due to be published in spring 2026. Further updates covered pollution management, flood protection, information management and GIS, accident prevention, and public participation, alongside reports from the Sava, Tisza, and Prut sub-basins. A dedicated session was also devoted to the Task Force on better understanding the possible impacts of the war in Ukraine on the shared Danube basin.
Closing her remarks, President Shpanchyk underlined the Danube's role as "a lifeline, a connector, and a symbol of our shared responsibility," reaffirming the ICPDR's collective commitment to a Danube that is clean, healthy, safe, and resilient for the benefit of all who depend on it.
The meeting was supported by the EU4Green Recovery East programme and the GEF-UNDP-OECD Dniester project, which in Ukraine helps advance the country's alignment with EU water legislation and strengthens cross-border cooperation.
