Water: Sustainable Management of a Scarce Resource
Posted by Zawya.com
Press Release

The Arab Forum for Environment and Development Announces its Annual Conference

Beirut, 28 May 2010: The Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) announced in a press conference attended by Environment Minister Mohammed Rahal its upcoming annual conference "Arab Environment 2010" on 4-5 November at Al Habtoor Grand Conference Centre in Beirut. The conference will discuss AFED's annual report on the state of Arab environment, entitled "Water: Sustainable Management of a Scarce Resource". AFED Secretary General Najib Saab also disclosed that AFED's board of trustees decided during its last session that Beirut will be the permanent seat for the organization's annual conference.

Minister Rahal commended AFED's decision to hold its annual conference in Beirut and affirmed the ministry's support of all endeavors that contribute towards an effective Arab cooperation with regards to the environment. He also added that this conference, which is supported at the highest official levels, will create an opportunity to discuss the water related challenges facing the Arab region and come up with effective solutions, especially that AFED brings together all stakeholders, including experts, research centres, private corporations, non-governmental organizations, media and government bodies. Rahal also duly noted AFED's efforts "that have already achieved impressive results which reflected in public policies and encouraged the private sector to adopt appropriate environmental options, in addition to the organization's role in spreading environmental awareness through its media members".

Saab announced that a group of over 50 experts are working on the preparation of the annual report on water, in collaboration with research centres and universities on an Arab and international level. The report is edited by Dr. Mohamed El-Ashry, former chief of Global Environment Facility (GEF). Participating in the report also is Dr. Farouk El-Baz, Director of the Center of Remote Sensing of Boston University (CRS-BU) who is preparing a special study on exploring under-ground water sites in the Arabian Desert using satellites, and which includes information and photos published for the first time. Other participating authors include Dr. Shawki Barghouti, Director General, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, Dr. Hammou Laamrani, IDRC Project Coordinator, Dr. Ayman Abou Hadid, Director, Arid Lands Agricultural Services and Research Institute in Cairo, Dr. Adil Bushnak, Director, International Desalination Association and Dr. Houria Tazi Sadeq, Moroccan water law expert. The report's results, which will be announced during the Beirut conference, will include the latest information on the state of Arab environment and will suggest policies to face water scarcity challenges.

Saab said that in addition to the authors and AFED members, who include corporations and non-governmental organizations as well as research centres and the media, participants in the conference will include officials and experts from the region and abroad, among them 30 environment and water ministers and heads of regional and international organizations and development programmes. Among the speakers at the conference will be Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Rashed Bin Fahd, Minister of Environment and Water of UAE, Mahmoud Abou-Zeid, President, Arab Water Council, Fehied Al Shareef, Governor, Saline Water Conversion Corporation in Saudi Arabia and Asma El Kasmi, Director, Arab Water Academy.

Saab added that AFED's previous reports showed that the Arab region is among the poorest in water, and due to a growing population, pollution, bad management and decreased supplies, soon water availability per capita will reach the lowest levels. "Since most of the available water is being used, and demand exceeds supply many folds, fresh water consumption has to be rationalized and new sources developed, including desalination and rain water collection." Saab hoped that the report and the conference will contribute towards encouraging the adoption of radical reforms in water policies.

The report addresses many issues, among which are: integrated water resource management, climate change adaptation, water demand management, water governance and water reuse. The report also includes information on over 30 projects and initiatives in the field of water in the Arab world, on both public and private levels.

In addition to representatives of local media, participating in the press conference that took place at Le Commodore were representatives from 12 Arab newspapers who were attending an environment media workshop to develop the contents of environmental news pages that these newspapers publish periodically in cooperation with AFED.

-Ends-

AFED Milestones
AFED published in 2008 its first report entitled "Arab Environment: Future Challenges", and its second report in 2009 entitled "Impact of Climate Change on Arab Countries". Among the forum's other programmes is the "Arab Green Economy Initiative", in which AFED is cooperating with a large number of Arab companies to help them convert to more sustainable production patterns, while also helping governments develop appropriate policies that support the transition from a "virtual economy" based on financial and real estate speculation, to a "green economy" based on production and investment in actual assets in a suitable manner that respects the balance of resources and creates job opportunities.

Contact:
Amal Mosharrafieh,
Tel.: 01-321800,
Mobile: 03-974429,
E-mail: amal@afedonline.org

© Press Release 2010

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