Leaders from the water sector in the Arab world today called for solutions to the Arab World’s water problems that included looking at green growth; renewed dialogue and diplomacy to resolve transborder water issues; more capacity building and professional development of senior water managers in the region; a shift to demand management; and recognition that resolving issues goes beyond technical solutions and must include politics and more communication.

“We need a shift in the way we think about water one that moves away from supply management to one that better integrates demand management,” stated H.E. Mohammed Al Bowardi Secretary General Abu Dhabi Executive Council, in a message to the meeting. He added, “a broader more regional vision is needed, a comprehensive Arab water security strategy is needed since we believe strongly in regional initiatives we are supporting The Arab Water Academy as we need forums to rally more high decision makers to find and bolster solutions to water issues, and where senior water managers in the Arab World can learn about international best practice.” (the remarks were actually read by H.E. Majid Al Mansouri, SG Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, Vice President of the Arab Water Academy, United Arab Emirates).

The Forum organized by the Arab Water Academy discussed finding solutions to secure the water future of the Arab World. Attending were H. E. Dr. Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, Minister of Water Resources, Iraq; H.E. Eng. Abdul Rahman Fadhl Al-Eryani, Minister of Water and Environment, Yemen; H.E. Eng. Kamal Ali Mohammed, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Sudan; H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al-Saud, Deputy Minister for Water, Ministry of Water and Electricity, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; H.E. Majid Al Mansouri, SG Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, Vice President of the Arab Water Academy, United Arab Emirates; Loic Fauchon, President of the World Water Council;
Mr. Hedi Larbi, The World Bank, Country Director for Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iran and Iraq; Mrs. Chahra Ksia, The Arab League, President of the Center for Arab Water Security; Dr. Shawki Barghouti, Director General, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture; Prof. Andras Szollosi-Nagy, President of UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education; Mr. Atem Ramsundersingh, CEO of STB technologies Singapore; and
Prof. Gary Jones, CEO eWater-CRC, Australia.

During the Forum there was a unique opportunity for people to interact directly with the Ministers and question them on water issues.

Loic Fauchon, President of the World Water Council in his opening remarks stated, “By  organizing this conference and welcoming Arab water leaders here in the United Arab  Emirates, you mark the importance given to water issues and more broadly to the future  of water in the world.” He added “more adapted knowledge and know-how transfers are needed for good management of water and sanitation services. The connection is obvious, with the initiative taken by the Arab Water Academy that brings us here today. Reinforcing capacity building, improving governance, facilitating new financing means fostering the emergence of political and economic water leaders, ministers and managers, engineers and economists, all serving the same cause.”

In the innovations section of the Forum, H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al-Saud from Saudi Arabia said that while there are water challenges in the region there are also opportunities especially for the private sector to participate. He also pointed out that the Kingdom has started demand management and water conservation by distributing devices to houses that have reduced water use by 30 to 40 percent in each household. The country also started to reform water use in agriculture by starting to phase out production of wheat as it was using too much non renewable water resources.

H.E. Eng. Kamal Ali Mohammed from Sudan said his country started to integrate water policies with energy agriculture and environment policies. In order to help mitigate chronic drought the country started rainfall harvesting through the construction of hundreds small dams across the country. The country has also worked with its neighbors to halt soil erosion in catchment areas; to share resources with other countries and have under the Nile Basin negotiations have agreed to about 95 per cent of a shared cooperative agreement.

The Iraq Water Minister H. E. Dr. Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, said that the Arab Water Academy needs full support as it serves the entire region and meetings like today’s Forum are important as water is becoming the most important issue on our agenda. There are not only water security issues in Iraq but these are becoming national security issues which need political will and decisions as they often involve neighboring countries. He also said the country has already restored about 50 percent of the marsh areas in the south of the country and great deal of the internal infrastructure.

H.E. Eng. Abdul Rahman Fadhl Al-Eryani said Yemen is a showcase for what may happen in many countries 50 years from now. The country faces a water crisis with all the attendant social and political issues. The country needs to revitalize traditions and reinstate communal water management but this takes large scale behavior change in society.

Several speakers also focused on how change management is needed in the water sector and how to provide just in time practical advice to governments. Discussions were also held on building stronger partnerships with international organizations. It was felt that in all these areas the Academy could play a brokering role.

“We must focus more on strengthening the knowledge and skills of the water sector’s decision makers and professionals. We must create more reformers in the Arab water sector,” said Dr. Asma El Kasmi, Director of the Arab Water Academy. She added, “This is why the AWA was created, to fill the gap in executive education and leadership development. The mission of the Academy is to go beyond convention educational and training and act as an agent for change to ensure that the water solutions outlined today can be implemented.”

The Arab Water Academy (AWA) was launched in July 2008, in Abu Dhabi as a regional center of excellence for water policy deliberation and executive education in water issues. The AWA’s focus is on strengthening the knowledge and skills of Middle East and North African decision makers to address change and effectively manage the region’s water challenges. The AWA was initiated by the Arab Water Council and is hosted by the EAD and the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA). It is supported by the government of Abu Dhabi, the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank.

The Water Leader’s Forum is the first time that so many high level water officials have been brought together to discuss solutions to the Arab World’s water issues.
 

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