Hydrodiplomacy and Addressing Water Security: Lessons from 40 years of Experience

Prof. András Szöllösi-Nagy is one of the most recognised names in international water management, in that over the past 40 years he has been instrumental in the shaping both institutions and approaches to freshwater management. Prior to his 2009-2014 appointment in Delft as rector of UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, he was director of the Division of Water, secretary of the International Hydrological Programme, and deputy director general of the natural sciences sector of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). While at UNESCO, Szöllösi-Nagy developed the organization’s response capacities in the area of freshwater, including launching the World Water Assessment Program (WWAP) and the Potential Conflict to Cooperation Potential (PCCP) program that deals with conflict prevention and resolution concerning international waters. In 2003, Szöllösi-Nagy was instrumental in establishing the new UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education and was a key player in the integration of the institute’s education and research programs in UNESCO. Dr. Szollosi-Nagy is a founding member of the World Water Council (WWC) where he served six terms as an elected member of the Board of Governors. Currently, he is a professor of Sustainable Water Management at the National University of Public Service in Hungary and serves as Chair of the Intergovernmental Council of IHP. Visit http://www.kini.org.au for more interviews with leading water practitioners.