Jordan Times
Monday, May 10, 2004
Water experts to convene for international water demand management conference on May 30
By Sahar Aloul
AMMAN — Jordan will host the first international water demand management
conference of its kind in the world at the end of the month to discuss the
global issue of water scarcity and shortage.
Some 1,500 participants from 30 countries, 600 of whom are water experts, will
convene at the Dead Sea on May 30 to go over 100 working papers on the future of
diminishing global water resources, water officials said.
“Water scarcity and water shortages are not just a Middle Eastern phenomenon...
as supply options become more limited all consumers as well as managers of water
systems need to become aware of greater [water] efficiency use,” according to
Minister of Water and Irrigation and Minister of Agriculture Hazem Nasser.
Nasser told a press conference on Sunday that holding the conference in Jordan —
in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
who are financing up to $200,000 — is an international recognition of the
Kingdom's efforts and accomplishments in the water sector.
Senior Arab officials are also expected to attend the event, held under Royal
patronage, including the water ministers of Iraq, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman,
Morocco and Kuwait.
Experts from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and several local universities
will present 20 working papers on the Jordanian experience in managing limited
water resources.
The Kingdom is considered one of the world's poorest countries in water
resources. Water consumption stands at 160 cubic metres (cu.m) per capita
annually, compared to an Arab average of 1,200 cu.m and a global average of
6,000 cu.m per capita.
Nasser told the press corps that a Jordanian initiative on water demand
management and how to enhance water resources would be the outcome of the
five-day conference.
“This initiative will be the result of a collective regional effort coming from
within our countries and not imposed from abroad,” he said.
Several professional development workshops on issues ranging from demand
management and drought assessment to water economics and agricultural water
conservation will be held on the sidelines of the conference.
Moreover, private entities will display their latest equipment and technology in
water resource management at an exhibition to be held throughout the conference.
As for the Red-Dead conveyance pipeline, Nasser said negotiations with the World
Bank on the project's terms of reference are in their final stages and are
awaiting “the agreement on one final word.”
Registration will remain open and available through the conference website
www.wdm2004.org till the last day, at reasonable fee rates to encourage
researchers and students to take part, the minister concluded.