3rd Regional Roundtable on Digital Transformation for Advancing WEFE Nexus in the Mediterranean Source to Sea Continuum

And Final Event of the PRIMA ACQUAOUNT project

23-24 March 2026

A.Roma Hotel (Giorgio Zoega 59, Rome) & Online (Hybrid)

REGISTER HERE

Digital Transformation for WEFE Nexus in the Med Source to Sea Continuum

Digitalization for natural resources management refers to the strategic adoption and integration of conventional and innovative digital policies and technologies in sectoral and cross-sectoral domains that contribute to sustainable development objectives. Digital solutions can provide substantial benefits to the management of interconnected systems of Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) in a Nexus approach in the Source to Sea (S2S) Continuum. Digital transformation for introducing such solutions at all levels involves, among others, leveraging advanced digital tools, data analytics, innovative technologies and related governance and managerial approaches to optimize the efficiency, sustainability, and resilience of related resources.

Digital transformation is not just a technological upgrade. It is a strategic imperative for creating more sustainable, resilient, and interconnected responses to sectorial challenges in a holistic WEFE Nexus approach applied in the spatial components of the Mediterranean S2S continuum. Embracing integrated digital solutions is essential for overcoming current challenges and preparing for the evolving socio-economic demands of the future, particularly as these are shaped by climate change impacts.

Key components of digital transformation include, but are not limited to, data integration, real time monitoring, analytics and decision support, smart infrastructure, inter-connected platforms, automatization and optimisation, innovative tech ecosystems, etc. Digitalization in a WEFE Nexus in a S2S approach can contribute to integrated and data-driven management for informed decision-making, optimising resource allocation, increasing efficiency in operations, promoting innovation, etc., thus enhancing climate resilience.

The Regional Consultation Process

A regional consultation process is ongoing since 2024, aiming to promote digital transformation for advancing WEFE Nexus in the Mediterranean Source to Sea Continuum, particularly under evolving climate change impacts.

The objectives of the regional consultation process are to:

• identify related Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) and present a related analysis; 
• highlight advancements made;
• craft recommendations for promoting digital transformation contributing to the draft ‘WEFE Nexus Strategy in the Mediterranean Source to Sea continuum’ as well as provide technical input to key regional political fora like the possible UfM Ministerial on Water, CoP of the Barcelona Convention, etc.
• help the PRIMA projects to adapt their research agenda towards transformational and actionable science that builds resilience to water scarcity and other natural resources management challenges under climate change impacts.

After conceiving contents of the consultation and establishing the core cooperation team (February 2024/Tunis), the process included so far two Regional Roundtables (Lisbon/June 2024 and Malta/February 2025) and a Webinar (June 2025), while more events have contributed to further shaping its contents. A second Webinar is scheduled for 5 March 2026; more info will be soon announced.

The regional consultation includes the identification of related Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT). Based on these, recommendations are shaped for promoting digital transformation as a contribution to the ‘WEFE Nexus Strategy in the Mediterranean Source to Sea continuum’ and its upcoming Action Framework that would be elaborated within 2026. The Strategy is part of the MSSD (2026-2035) flagship initiative which was adopted at the 24th Conference of the Parties (COP24) of the Barcelona Convention (2-5 December 2025, Cairo). The Strategy was also adopted by the 15th Meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Regional Platform on Water (5-6 November 2025, Barcelona) in view of the 2nd UfM Ministerial Conference on Water (24-25 March 2026, Rome).

This science-driven consultation has engaged regional and national decision makers, stakeholders and practitioners in a Living Lab approach. It is facilitated by the PRIMA ACQUAOUNT (lead), TALANOA-WATER (completed at the end 2025) and H2020 TRANSCEND projects, in service of and with the support of UfM, and other institutional partners. These projects are at the forefront of digitalization research and innovation for Water and its interlinkages with other sectors for integrated management, including in a WEFE Nexus approach, creating impact on several demo sites across the Mediterranean via the development of actionable data, models and technologies, and their adoption through policy co-creation and co-implementation of novel digitalization tools. Examples of relevant digitalization efforts for advancing integrated approaches in these projects include the incorporation of remote sensing water and land use data into Decision Support Tools; co-creation processes and spaces (including serious games) towards the design of transformational adaptation strategies that mainstream digitalization methods and tools into the Mediterranean and EU policy; implementation of real-time monitoring systems; integrating modelling platforms with IoT technologies to optimize irrigation and water management systems at farm and river basin scale; etc. These innovations are aimed to transcend the demo sites in which they are being implemented, and to be widely replicated across the Mediterranean.

The regional consultation process is also supported by the WEFE Nexus Community of Practice in the Mediterranean that is facilitated by the PRIMA WEFE4Med project. On contents, the process aligns with and benefits by the UfM Strategic Framework Report on ‘Digital Transformation of Water Sector: Strategic Planning and Capacity Development’. The process also contributes to the WEFE Nexus preparations for the 6^th Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum, 29 September – 2 October 2026, Rome, organised by IME and OneWater-Committee Italy.

The 3^rd  Regional Roundtable in Rome

The final Regional Roundtable of the regional consultation on Digital Transformation for Advancing WEFE Nexus in the Mediterranean will take place on 23-24 March 2026, in Rome and online (Hybrid), co-organised by the synergizing PRIMA and H2020 projects, UfM and OneWater-Committee Italy.

The Roundtable will also serve as the Final Event of the PRIMA ACQUAOUNT Project, providing the opportunity to present and discuss its final results, as well as progress and results of other related projects, like TALANOA Water.

The draft top-line agenda, includes the following sessions; all time indicated are in Central European Time (CET):

Monday, 23 March 2026

Tuesday, 24 March 2026

Kindly REGISTER HEREfor the Regional Roundtable.

For more information, please contact:

-            Marta Debolini, CMCC, Project Coordinator, PRIMA ACQUAOUNT Project (marta.debolini@cmcc.it)

-            Simone Mereu, CMCC and CNR, Project Coordinator, PRIMA ACQUAOUNT Project (simone.mereu@cmcc.it)

-            Matteo Funaro, CMCC, Project Manager, Prima ACQUAOUNT Project (matteo.funaro@cmcc.it)

-            Vangelis Constantianos, GWP-Med Executive Secretary & Regional Coordinator, (vangelis@gwpmed.org), PRIMA ACQUAOUNT Project Partner

-            Dionisio Perez-Blanco, Institute IMdea Water, (dionisio.perez@imdea.org)

For practical arrangements, please contact:

-            Ms. Zoe Karka, Administration and Communications Officer, GWP-Med, (zoe@gwpmed.org), cell/whatsapp: +306948827450

Looking forward to your engagement

The Regional Roundtable Organisers

You can download the Concept Note and Agenda here.