In Tlemcen, Dr Nidal Salim calls for common standards to protect shared waters
Speaking at the opening of IC-TWEP 2026 in Tlemcen, Algeria, GIWEH Director-General Dr Nidal Salim called for stronger regional cooperation on transboundary waters, grounded in international law and United Nations standards and backed by practical mechanisms to prevent pollution.
Tlemcen, 26 October 2026. Speaking at the opening of the International Conference on Transboundary Watercourse Protection and Environmental Pollution Prevention (IC-TWEP 2026), held at the University of Tlemcen from 26 to 29 October, GIWEH Director-General Dr Nidal Salim argued that the fight against the pollution of transboundary waters depends on stronger regional cooperation, grounded in international law and backed by concrete prevention mechanisms.
He reviewed the state of water resources in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and the Sahel, territories highly exposed to drought and contamination, and called on riparian states to move beyond declarations of intent: “We must strengthen cooperation between the countries of the region, prevent pollution and return to United Nations standards and international law.”
Dr Salim pointed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 6 on water and sanitation and its indicators on integrated water resources management, and to the need for common standards ensuring that one country's use of water does not harm its neighbours. He highlighted new technologies, including isotope methods in hydrology, to monitor resources and understand contamination, and stressed the role of local communities, women and young people in building lasting cooperation.
Coverage: