Summer 2016
MENA NWC
Middle East and North Africa Network of Water Centers of Excellence
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Directors of Member
Centers Meet Donors to
Discuss the Future of
MENA NWC
1
Reflections from Policy,
Research and
Development Grants 2
New Location for the
MENA NWC
2
Royal visit to the MENA
NWC
4
Science & Knowledge for
Advancing the 2030
Sustainable Development
Goals- Workshop
4
Directors of Member Centers Meet Donors
to Discuss the Future of MENA NWC
Under the Patronage of His
Excellency
(HE)
Dr.
Hazem AlNasser, Minister
of Water and Irrigation –
Jordan, MENA NWC organized a three-day workshop held in Aqaba, Jordan
from May 9–11, 2016. The
workshop aimed at fostering partnerships between
the Network NWC and
international donor organizations; agreeing on interventions in the water sector
that are responsive to priority development agendas;
and developing a roadmap
and action plan for the
Network activities and member center’s participation in
2016 and 2017.
Participants in the “Future
Prospects of Regional R&D
Priorities & the Role of Donors in Supporting Cooperation in the Water Sector”
workshop discussed the future of the Middle East and
North Africa Network of
Water Centers of Excellence
(MENA NWC), regional
cooperation and development priority issues.
Participants in the workshop
included Water Ministers
from the region and/or their
representatives, Member
Centers’ Directors; representatives of donor agencies from
the World Bank, SIDA,
USAID, representatives form
the League of Arab States; as
well as researchers. The participants discussed various
scenarios to build up regional
cooperation and regional
themes in the water sector.
The meeting focused on
selective regional themes:
delivery of water services
to marginal and poor communities, improving water
productivity and efficiency,
increased economic return,
and sustainable management of groundwater.
International donors took
the lead in presenting their
priority requirements to
the participants. Center
Directors, based on experience gained during MENA
NWC’s initial phase funded by USAID, shared
lessons learned in linking
scientific inquiry and research with development
policies in the water sector,
to guide the partnerships
and clarify their specific
contributions to achieve
the development objectives of the donors.
Addressing attendees during the workshop, the
Jordanian Minister of Water
and Irrigation, Hazem AlNasser, underlined the importance of the Network in
linking scientific and research
centers across the region.
“The Arab region suffers
from chronic water issues
and is in dire need for developing new techniques, mechanisms and research that can
help in solving the water
challenge,” AlNasser said.
In his remarks at the event,
the President of the Palestinian Water Authority, Mazen
Gnaim, underscored the
importance of cooperation
among the Arab countries in
order to find real and sustainable solutions for longstanding water issues.
Continued on page 3