IWA WANA Water Summit

WANA Water summit

West Asia & North Africa Region

Dead Sea 19 October 2015 Water professionals’ cross-border cooperation for sustainable economic development King Hussein bin Talal Convention Centre, Dead Sea, Jordan

The Opportunity

The Challenge

What is the water future we want to see by 2030? How can water become a catalyst for further regional cooperation, stability and economic growth? How can a broad range of professionals focused on water set in motion the innovations needed and realise practical solutions to achieve this 2030 water vision for the region?

The WANA region has one of the largest reserves of fossil fuels but its per capita water availability is amongst the lowest in the world. The region’s heavy dependence on groundwater results in the world’s highest per capita rates of freshwater extraction, exploiting over 75% of its renewable water resources.

The West Asia and North Africa region (WANA) is one of the most arid in the world with major water scarcity issues. It is also a region currently undergoing significant socio-political and economic transitions.

To thrive, the region’s major water challenges have to be addressed through a wide range of local, national and regional initiatives. This represents a significant opportunity. How can we enable, develop and implement such initiatives so these can work at scale and have lasting impact?

Population and economic growth are expected to lead to a decrease in the per capita water availability to alarmingly low levels in coming decades. Substantial income disparities, within and between countries, challenge regional efforts to improve the utilisation of water for socio-economic development.

Sixty percent of the region’s water resources are transboundary and shared by two or more countries. Egypt, Jordan and Syria, largely depend upon water resources outside their borders. Unsustainable management of shared water resources, including surface and ground water systems, affect millions of people who are dependent on them for their livelihoods and wellbeing.

The Summit The urgency of regional water challenges has set the stage for a debate on how best to manage water resources and services, on the basis of innovative water solutions to be applied at scale. The WANA Water Summit is a high-level meeting bringing together a carefully selected group of over 100 key stakeholders – politicians, water professionals, business leaders, academics, economists – to focus on cooperation around innovations that work.

This requires different actors to work together, including local government working with NGOs and private companies

providing cutting-edge technical solutions; international NGOs working with national governments and policy advisors to propose updates in water policy and regulation.

Roundtables of peers from different sectors and disciplines will brainstorm opportunities for transformative water solutions and to strengthen cross-border cooperation that recognises the need for innovation that connects water science, technology and practice.

The People

An exciting and diverse mix of leading professionals interested in water challenges and solutions, not only from the WANA region but from around the world, include: HRH Prince Hassan bin Talal

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and former Chairman the United Nations SecretaryGeneral’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation

Dr. Ger Bergkamp

Executive Director, International Water Association

H.E Dr Charafat Afailal

Ms. Carol Chouchani Cherfane

Chief, Water Resources Section, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

H.E Abdullah Lahlouh

Professor Tushar Shah

Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Palestine

Vice-Minister for Water, Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water and the Environment, Rabat, Morocco

H.E Dr. Hazim El-Naser

Professor David Grey

Advisor to HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal on Water and Sanitation

H.E Pamela Tshwete

Ambassador Shiv Mukherjee

Minister of Water and Irrigation, Jordan Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Republic of South Africa

Mr. Isam Akel

Executive Director, Association of Palestinian Local Authorities

Dr.Mahmoud Solh

Director General, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas

University of Oxford, UK India

Mr. Nitin Desai

Former Under - Secretary General of the United Nations

Dr. Claudia Sadoff

Lead Economist, Water, World Bank

Dr. Leon Awerbuch

International Water Management Institute

Dr. Hakam M. Al Alami

Dr. Mark Smith

Global Head, Water Program, IUCN

Dr. Anders Jägerskog

Counsellor, Regional Development Cooperation, Water Resources, Embassy of Sweden

Khaldon Khashman

Secretary-General, Arab Countries Water Utilities Association, Jordan

Dean IDA, Desalination Academy

The Outcome Strengthening existing and catalyzing new initiatives, the WANA Water Summit will create opportunities for further collaboration between water professionals across borders. It will do so through the development of new, or enhancement of existing, regional sharing of water expertise, knowledge and know-how.

The Summit outcomes will additionally focus on setting up knowledge and experience exchange mechanisms in the region. It will promote evidence-based public and professional discussions to build understanding of the issues and opportunities for cooperation. The Summit will be a catalyst for further action in the future.

For further information contact: Ganesh Pangare ganesh.pangare@iwahq.org Al Alwaween Mufleh Mufleh.abbadi@iucn.org Mustafa Nasereddin Mustafa_Nasereddin@acwua.org