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MENA NWC Update
Exploring Business Partnerships in Jordan
The MENA NWC has the
potential to become a
leading applied research
entity and cutting-edge think
tank on water resources
management planning in the
Middle East. To achieve this,
the Network needs the
active involvement of the
private sector to impact the
marketplace in a way that
will shape water use in the
future. To identify potential
private sector partners,
FABRI mapped the interest
of 14 companies and 14
donor agencies in Jordan to
identify their interest in
applied research and to
support the MENA NWC.
The exercise concluded that:
• Partnerships must be
customized and offer value
to each party
• Companies with regional
market presence are ideal
candidates for
partnerships with MENA
NWC
• Companies demonstrated
a high level of
commitment to
sustainable development
• Local Jordanian companies
focus on Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR)
initiatives in Jordan and
their priorities are subject
to set criteria
• Promising partners for
using applied research are
water utilities and the
industrial sectors
A second country-level
business mapping exercise
has begun in Morocco.
New Staff Join FABRI to Support the Network
Shawki Barghouti joined
FABRI as a Senior Water
Resources Expert in
November 2012. Mr.
Barghouti’s expertise
includes water resources
research as former Director
General of the International
Center for Biosaline
Agriculture (ICBA),
institution building and
governance as the leading
thinker and actor in ICBA
and the Arab Water
Academy, and fundraising as
a former senior official at
the World Bank with strong
ties throughout the region.
He will be involved in the
MENA NWC business
planning, governance and
research activities.
In addition, Christel Milazzo
joined the FABRI program as
Middle East Activity Manager
in December 2012. With a
background in
environmental policy and
project management, she
will manage the activities of
the Network in the Middle
East and ensure timely
completion of activities.
Have new staff joined
your Center? We’d like to
highlight him or her in an
upcoming MENA NWC
Update.
Please send a short
biography to
[email protected]
Shawki Barghouti
Christel Milazzo
Changes to the PR&D Annual Program Statement
Several changes have been
made to the Policy, Research
& Development (PR&D)
Annual Program Statement
(APS), including:
• Clarifies that most awards
will be in the range of
$400,000 to $450,000
• Clarifies the review
proposal review process
• Changes the definition of
external collaborators.
• Simplifies the technical
proposal format
• Authorizes grants funds to
be used for salaries of
researchers, students and
technicians
Modification #1 to the
Annual Program Statement
(APS) will be emailed to the
Centers in early March.
If you have any questions
regarding the changes,
please contact PR&D Grants
Manger Ken Ludwa
([email protected]).