On the 21st of March 2025, the E.M. Primakov Centre took part in a teleconference dedicated to World Water Day 2025. The teleconference was organised by the UN Information Centre in Moscow.
The event brought together experts, students and teachers from leading Russian universities to discuss topical issues related to water resources management, access to safe drinking water and water diplomacy.
The round table was moderated by Natalia Ryazanova, Candidate of Geological Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Laboratory of Geoecology and Sustainable Environmental Management of the Department of International Complex Problems of Environmental Management and Ecology, MGIMO MFA of Russia.
Vladimir Valerievich Kuznetsov, Chairman of the UN agencies team in Russia, Director of the UN Information Centre in Moscow, made a welcoming speech to the participants.
In the course of the event the following speakers took the floor:
- Vladimir Vladimirovich Moshkalo, Head of the Russian Office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
- Tatiana Pavlovna Kolpakova, Public Health Specialist, World Health Organisation (WHO) Office in the Russian Federation, presented a report on WHO activities in ensuring access to safe drinking water.
- Andrey Anatolievich Cheshev, Deputy Director General, Vernadsky Non-Governmental Ecological Foundation, made a presentation on ‘Glaciers of Altai’.
- Andrey Aleksandrovich Bryksenkov, Director of the Representative Office in Moscow and Plenipotentiary Representative of the Rector of the Russian State Hydrometeorological University (RSHMU), spoke about the International Hydrological Year as part of the International Polar Year.
- Anastasia Valeryevna Tsvetkova, General Director of the Foundation for Support of Applied Environmental Research and Development ‘Lake Baikal’, gave an overview of the water agenda at COP29.
- Nikita Seredin, 3rd year student of MGIMO MFA of Russia, presented a report on ‘Water diplomacy under political tensions in the countries of North-East and North Africa’.
The round table participants actively asked questions and exchanged opinions, which contributed to a productive discussion and development of new approaches to solving water-related problems.
The event was also attended by students and professors from leading Russian universities, including MGIMO, MSLU, HSE, the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, RUDN, Plekhanov Russian State University of Economics, the Higher School of Translation at the Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University, and Irkutsk State University. The round table was organised by the Russian State University of Foreign Affairs, Russian State University of Foreign Affairs, Russian State University of Justice, Plekhanov Russian State University of Economics, Higher School of Translation at Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University, Irkutsk State University, Nizhny Novgorod State University, Ufa University of Science and Technology, Russian State University of Justice, Yekaterinburg Humanitarian University, as well as students of the ‘UchimZnaem’ hospital schools in Russia.
The roundtable became an important platform for sharing experience and knowledge in water resources management and emphasised the need to consolidate efforts to achieve sustainable development goals in the water sector.
