On Wednesday (9 July) Maria Böhmer, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, and Wendy Watson-Wright, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s Assistant Director General, will sign an agreement at the Federal Foreign Office establishing the first UNESCOUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Centre for Water Resources and Global Change in Germany. The Centre is based in Koblenz and will take up work this week.

Its research activities will focus on the effects of global change on the world’s water resources. In order to gain a better understanding of global interdependencies, the Centre will educate and train experts from around the world and integrate them into joint research projects. Another aim is to provide international researchers with better access to German water information systems. One of the Centre’s main focuses will be on cooperation with developing countries, particularly in Africa.