An agreement was signed between the Korean government and UNESCO on Dec. 7 to establish the International Center for Water Security and Sustainable Management, or I-WSSM, in Korea.

By signing the agreement at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, the government will set up the I-WSSM center as a “Category 2 Center” under the auspices of UNESCO, agreed upon at the 37th UNESCO General Conference in 2013. UNESCO Category 2 Centers such as the I-WSSM center carry out activities and functions under the legal frameworks of both the Korean government and UNESCO, and are run and funded by the member state hosting the center.

The I-WSSM center will commence operations in earnest in early 2017 with the aim of “Realizing Balanced Water Usage and Contributing to Better Lives.” The center will allow experts from organizations and institutes involved in water management to conduct a series of research projects, mainly addressing climate change, water security, and technologies designed for the sustainable management of water resources.

It also aims to provide better education on the management of water resources and related technologies, as a select group of leading universities from both home and abroad work together to offer systematic master's and doctoral programs at the center.

The Korean government will fund its facilities and human resources for the smooth running of research projects and education initiatives. UNESCO, meanwhile, will help by sending affiliated experts and staff members to the center.

“By building and operating the I-WSSM center, we will bring cooperation with UNESCO to a new level and share with the international community our technologies and experiences in the management of water resources,” said an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photo: Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Korea to UNESCO
jiae5853@korea.kr