Mine Awareness: Announcement: Upcoming On April 4 – Consular Hours in Events & Lend Your Leg New York City To Do List

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NEWSLETTER APRIL 1, 2016, VOLUME 12, NUMBER 6 The Only Alternative to Water Is Water: Blue Peace for the 21st

Century Former President of , Dr. Danilo Türk, actively participated at the Global Water Security Summit, which took place March 22 at the United States Institute of Peace. By Danilo Türk, former President of Slovenia and Chairman of the Global High Level Panel on Water and Peace, and Sudan. Ethiopia had started the construction of the dam in a convened by 15 countries from all parts building the dam, claiming its rights way that would cause no harm and of the world. The article was published to use waters of the Nile River within would allow an equitable outcome. in the Huffington Post on March 22 on its territory. Egypt, “the gift of the Implementing their agreement is not the occasion of the World Water Day. Nile”, objected, fearing that the dam easy. But the hostile rhetoric has toned would obstruct the flow of the river to down and a spirit of cooperation is Until a year ago, serious its fields. gradually surfacing in the region. tensions were mounting in Suddenly, a miracle happened: There is no alternative to northeastern Africa. Egypt, Sudan seizing the occasion of the World trans-boundary water cooperation and Ethiopia confronted each other Water Day on March 22, 2015, the anywhere in the world. There are over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance presidents of the three countries met in 263 shared river basins, extending Dam on the border between Ethiopia Khartoum and decided to coordinate through 148 countries. Unless the

Embassy of Slovenia 2410 California Street, NW twitter.com/SLOinUSA Washington, D.C. 20008, USA T: +1 202 386 66 01 E: [email protected] washington.embassy.si facebook.com/SLOembassyUSA countries through which the rivers management of environment, and Tigris Rivers. The result is that all run collaborate for the sustainable cooperative management of floods the three states have lost, and a non- management of water courses, wars and drought, integration of water in state organization has space to create a and environmental disasters can occur. regional economic programs, and base for its violent designs against the On the other hand, cooperation in interaction among the heads of states civilized world. water usage can lead to comprehensive to enable large exchanges. In order to usher in an era of peace. When countries reach the Blue Peace in this century, it is necessary The Water Cooperation optimum level of water cooperation, for the international community to join Quotient, constructed on the basis they are in the state of Blue Peace. At this hands to achieve concrete results. First, of the analysis of 219 shared river stage, water transforms from a source it is essential to encourage all 263 shared basins by Strategic Foresight Group, of potential crisis into an instrument river basins to establish collaborative an international think-tank, reaches of peace. The Senegal River Basin institutions and joint investment a dramatic conclusion. Any two Organization, established by Guinea, plans, slowly climbing up on the Water countries engaged in active water Mali, Mauritania and Senegal in West Cooperation Quotient. cooperation are not likely to go to war Africa, is an example of Blue Peace. Second, it is necessary to over water or for any other reason. The four countries jointly own all introduce concessional and preferential It is often asked whether water water-related infrastructure, including financial possibilities for the neighboring would be the oil of the twenty-first dams and hydro-electric stations. The countries who wish to cooperate in the century. It certainly is not. Oil has organization also facilitates political management of water basins. alternatives such as natural gas and dialogue to end ethnic or border Third, water infrastructure renewable energy. The only alternative conflicts. must be protected from terrorist actions to water is water. Therefore, last The Middle East is and violent conflicts. September the United Nations General conspicuous for its absence of joint Finally, the members of the Assembly adopted the Water Goal as river-management bodies. This is one U.N. Security Council need to come one of the Sustainable Development of the reasons why ISIS, the violent together for the future of the world’s Goals. It has an ambitious objective of extremist group, has been able to spread water. It is in their interest to prevent ISIS ensuring water security of the world’s so quickly. They take over vital dams from controlling dams and reservoirs. It population by 2030. Cooperation and use them to incarcerate high-value is in their interest to boost economic among countries is an important prisoners, knowing well that such dams growth in all shared river basins of the component of the U.N. Water Goal. cannot be bombed for fear of flooding developing world. It is, indeed, essential The Water Cooperation the entire region. They also use their to establish Blue Peace in every region, Quotient provides a scientific control over dams and pipelines to force and the World Water Day of 2016 is a formula to measure trans-boundary people to obey their order. For years, good occasion to strengthen every effort cooperation using indicators of Iraq, Syria and Turkey refused to heed in this direction. joint investments, collaborative calls for cooperation over the Euphrates

APRIL 1, 2016, PAGE 2 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MINE AWARENESS On April 4 – Lend Your Leg

“Lend Your Leg” is a campaign that encourages people worldwide by a symbolic ITF launched its campaign marking the International Day of Mine gesture of rolling up a pant leg to stop the damage landmines still cause while showing Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. On this occasion, various events solidarity with all survivors of landmines and other explosive remnants of war.” will take place in Ljubljana between April 4 and 8. Mines and explosive remnants Since its establishment activities marking the International of war (ERW) continue to pose an in March 1998 by the Slovenian Day of Mine Awareness and Assistance imminent threat to human security Government, ITF Enhancing in Mine Action on April 4. The scope in highly impacted countries, like Human Security (ITF) has been a of this year’s campaign is twofold: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, proud member of the international ITF aims to raise awareness among Afghanistan, Colombia, Cambodia, community working on mitigating Slovenians on the current disruptive Turkey or Iraq. In spite of continuous and eliminating minde-related challenges posed by landmines/ERW efforts of the international community threats. In 18 years, and most around the world, and especially in this field, mines/ERW still claim importantly with the kind support in our neighborhood (the Western around 3,000 victims annually. In of ITF’s public and private donors, Balkans). At the same time, the ITF times of numerous conflicts and great over $400 million have been raised to wishes to highlight the role of the humanitarian needs, mine action is clear over 135 million sq.m. of mine/ Republic of Slovenia and ITF in a much needed means of providing ERW contaminated land, to help joint efforts to reduce the danger the safety and security of individuals, rehabilitate 1,251 mine victims, and of mines and ERW. To this end, communities and broader societies, carry out numerous other activities in various events are scheduled between while also ensuring the delivery of the field of enhancing human security. April 4 and 8; more information is urgent humanitarian assistance and Yet, the work is far from done. available at: http://www.itf-fund.si/ advancing long-term development With this in mind, ITF has and and https://www.facebook.com/ cooperation. since 2012 also been engaged in FundITF

APRIL 1, 2016, PAGE 3 ANNOUNCEMENT Consular Hours in New York City on