222893e

WATER COOPERATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND POVERTY ERADICATIONWater expertise and cooperation:Hungary’s international policyDr Gábor Baranyai, Chair of Organizing Committee, Budapest Water Summit, and Deputy State Secretary,EU Sectoral Policies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, HungaryHungarians’ special relationship with water must flowfrom the particular geographical features of the country.Hungary is a landlocked country lying in the middleof one of the world’s largest closed topographical units: theCarpathian Basin. The Alpine ranges surrounding Hungarydischarge water through 24 watercourses into the predominantlyflat country, but water leaves only through three major rivers:the River Danube and two of its tributaries, the rivers Tisza andDráva. As a result, one quarter of the country is exposed to floods,which is exceptional in Europe. However, this abundance of wateris counterbalanced by the relatively dry continental climate of thebasin. Thus, floods and droughts may follow each other with afrequency unknown in other parts of the world.Hungary is also rich in groundwater resources. The huge unpollutedunderground reserves along the Danube, north and south ofthe capital city of Budapest, provide affordable drinkingwater for almost 3 million people. The region’sabundant thermal water resources have also beenexploited since Roman times. Alone in Budapest, over68 million litres of water bubble into 118 springsand boreholes every day. The ‘city of spas’ offers anastounding array of baths, from the Ottoman hamamto neo-baroque bathing palaces.As a result of its outstanding exposure to diversehydrological challenges, Hungary has historicallydeveloped significant expertise in water management.To safeguard its water resources, the countryhas introduced a stringent legal regime and a solidinstitutional framework in water and sanitationmanagement. Centuries of tradition in this area havebeen supported by a solid academic, educational andThe Carpathian BasinHungary’s geography has created a special relationship with waterSource: Somlyódy, 2002[ 207 ]