Abdulrazzak coordinating action at the regional level

Abdulrazzak coordinating action at the regional level

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  Water resources managementinitiatives; toward enhance coordination at the regional level Mohamed J. Abdulrazzak Professor of water resources management Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain I-Water Policy The Arab region being located in the most water scarce parts of world will be facing in 2025 a major challenge of the widening the water supplies and demand gap attributed to the limited renewable water sources and the expected; high population growth, increases water requirement for the dynamic socio-economic development activities and negative impact of climate change. Overcoming the expected water deficit in 2025 estimated at 237 billion cubic meter (bcm) due to imbalance between supply of 258 bcm and demand of 495 bcm will make it necessary to augment the supply through further mining of groundwater, increased dependency on desalination ,reuse of adequately treated wastewater sources and mitigation of climate change measures impact combined with the need to implement integrated management measures that should take into consideration enforced coordination with other developmental polices and the prevailing harsh arid environment, social, economic and cultural conditions. The past rigid short term water policies of the last four decades that have emphasized supply management and fragmented management measure must give way to new management tools to develop a flexible policy coordinated with other relevant policies (agriculture, finance, social, environment, energy, urban, trade, industry) to achieve water sustainability and ecosystem protection and migration of climate change impact. The past explicit or implicit water policies in the region of the 1960-2000 period have addressed water resources scarcity through securing adequate supplies and services with good water supply and sanitation coverage meeting the MDG targets specially in the urban areas and expansion of irrigation schemes that have lead to extensive groundwater mining. However governments of the region have realized the shortcoming of supply provision limitation from renewable water sources as sources have reached their physical limit and have began 2000 to pay more attention to the development of water policies in line with the internationally known integrated water resources management approach (IWRM) with longer planning horizons to cope with the expect water deficit challenge. Governments of the region have endorsed the Sustainable Development Submit (WSSD) recommendation to formulate integrated water resources management plan by the year 2005. This target has been achieved with mixed result as only few countries formulated their management plans. Effective water resources management framework in line with IWRM approach must emphasis enhanced water use effect in all development sectors in efficiency and allocation ,supply-demand management supported by effective and enforced institutional arrangement and legal frameworks ,mandated coordination with other related policies, 1
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  enhance of stakeholderparticipation ,strengthening of water governance issues, forging partnership with private sector, effective regional cooperation through UN and regional organizations, committing adequate financial and trained human resources and preservation of the environment integrity. Such complex IWRM approach will enable government of the region to shift from rigid traditional approach of supply augmentation and as services providers to the implementation of more flexible integrated management measures and as regulator of services. II-Regional Cooperation Water management at the regional level requires coordination among leading United Nations and regional organizations active in the water and water related fields as they can play crucial roles in enhancing cooperation and cooperation of their water management program to enhance delivery of capacity building initiatives, implementation of regional projects, creation of think tank centers and act as neutral and credible players in assisting countries in studies and IWRM plan formulation and implementations. The existing two coordination frameworks; the UN Regional Cooperation Mechanism (RCM) and the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) as well as the existing international and regional conventions, instruments and the recommendations of major water summits and conferences represent a viable tool to coordinate all water management activities at the regional level. The most relevant international water management initiatives; are the 2002 WSSD recommendation that called upon the member states to develop their IWRM plans by 2005, the UN Convention on the Law of Non-Navigational Use of International Watercourses (not ratified) and the non-binding Law of Tran boundary Aquifers. The other UN conventions related to some aspects of water is the UN Climate Change Convention with regard to water resources vulnerability, the Convention to Combat Desertification regarding land use and the Convention of Biological Diversity with regard to freshwater ecosystem integrity. The regional initiatives is the recently establish Council of Arab Ministers for Water, the drafted Shared Water Strategy and the CAMRE Arab Action Plan for Climate Change. Existing UN and regional organizations are mandated to coordinate their programs including water resources programs and projects among themselves as well as with the member states and Arab league, however the level of coordination has produced mixed results due to the overlapping of their water management activities, competing and domination roles combined with lack of joint programming initiatives, absent of institutionalized coordination mechanism, member states weak program ownership and participation and lack of funding to support regional water management projects. These major constrains have contributed to fragmentation and implementation of similar activities leading some times to the duplication of outputs specially on capacity building (training and experts group meetings) initiatives , uncoordinated technical advisory services and few regional shared water sources projects . There are 17 United Nations and regional organizations implementing two years or longer programs cycles to address national and regional water and other environment management priority issues within the framework of international conventions, goals and recommendations. The UN organizations consist of UNU (water management capacity building initiatives and projects), ESCWA, UNDP and UNEP (water management studies, technical advisory service, 2
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  capacity build andprojects), WHO-CEHA (wastewater and water health issues) , UNCEIF, WHO and IDRC (water supply and sanitation) and FAO, AOAD, ICARDA and CIHEAM/ BARI (water management in agriculture) while the regional organizations ;ACSAD, ALESCO belong to the League of Arab States ,ISESCO and CEDARE (Water studies, capacity building and projects ) ¸IUCN (water and natural resources),IDRC( demand management) and WB (water management studies and projects and the Council of the Arab Ministers for Water(water studies). The fund agencies consisted of bilateral and multi lateral entities provide limited funding for water infrastructures at the national levels and limited regional water projects such as the Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development, the Kuwaiti, Saudi and Abu Dhabi funds, Islamic Development Bank, AGFUND and the major donors; Global Environment Facilities, European Union, the German, JICA-Japan, Ditch and USAID and CIDA. The existing water networks that have focused their activities on capacity building initiatives are represented by the Wadi Hydrology, the Groundwater and the Water Ethic (UNESCO), the Arab integrated Water Resources Management AWRENET( ESCWA),the Water Reuse (WHO- CEHA), Islamic Water Resources (ISESCO), international network on Water and Environment(, Demand Management WaDlmena (IDRC), Cap –Net (UNDP), NBNBN-RE9 (many donors) while water associations are Water Science and Technology , Arab Health and Water Utility while the NGO are Arab Water Council, Arab Forum for Environment and Development, READ and Egyptian Water Partnership and more than national 25 water environmental societies. Water research centers are; the UNU-Arabian Gulf University Virtual Integrated Water Resources Management (Bahrain), UNESCO Regional Training Centers (water resources management-Egypt) and (shared groundwater-Libya), the Arab League ACSAD and Water and Arab Water Security studies Center (Syria), The IDB international Center for Bios line agriculture (Abu Dhabi), Observation Du Sahara Et Du Sahel (Tunisia), the Middle Easter Desalination (Oman)and the Arab Water Academy (Abu Dhabi). The list organizations including the focus of their activities are shown in table (1). III-Coordinated Actions The existence of large number of organizations active in the water management field make it necessary that they further enhance their coordination on water management issues through the two UN regional coordination tools, the Regional Coordination Mechanism(RCM) and UN Development Assistant Framework (UNDAF ). The existing UN coordination mechanism (RCM) scan be strengthened by expanding its membership to include beside the Arab League, other regional organizations and funding institutions such ISESECO, AOAD, ICARDA, CEDARE, Arab Funding Institutions, Islamic Development Bank, AGFUND, Arab Water Council, and IDRC in order to avoid duplication and steam line their activities, formulate and implement joint activities, rational their financial resources for efficient use and increase funding for regional water projects. The UN-RCM made good progress when the lead organization ESCWA in 2009 Beirut meeting coordinated ahead of time with other organizations to provide the opportunity some of them to take a leading role addressing region emerging issues MDG (ESCWA), climate change(UNEP) and food security (FAO). This process has achieved excellent coordination producing substantive outputs. The other effective coordination mechanism is being followed by UNESC, ALESCO and ISESCO. The three organizations exchange their two years programs 3
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  prior to theirimplementation and agree on the areas of cooperation in term of joint studies, EGM and training meetings and sharing of financial resources. Based on this mechanism many successful water management initiatives were implement in the Arab region The Arab League can play a central role in monitoring and evaluating of the RCM coordination level of all UN organizations two years’ biennium programs prior to their finalization and report to the UN at New York. The UN organizations are mandated to coordinate and cooperate on their programs during the planning and implementation processes among themselves and with and the Arab League. The independent UN - ACBQ committee in Ney York reviewing process of the proposed programs always check if program coordination and cooperation are achieved with the Arab League and other regional organizations in order to strengthen program effectiveness in addressing regional priority issues such as water resources management and rationalize budgetary requirements. The Arab League active participation in the program planning process can eliminate overlapping as well as enhance joint implementation of activities. The member states are in a strong position to be a key player in enhancing the regional coordination of water management program through their representation and active participation in the UN inter government committees, UN Ministerial Sessions and their UN official focal points at their respective countries and at UN-New York. The member states must understand their influencing role as their input in emphasizing water management priority issues in the proposed programs and activities should be addressed. It is essential that they under take extensive reviewing and evaluation in advance actively participate in raising their concern on proposed issues as well as insure that programs coordination is achieved among UN and regional organization. The member states active participation can lead to their ownership of the UN programs, strengthen joint programming initiatives and help the UN organizations in soliciting funds from Arab funding institutions and donor communities for regional projects. Also it will enhance the effectiveness and accountability of programs delivery towards effective management of water. Funding institutions and international donors should be forthcoming in providing adequate funds to UN, regional organization, water network, associations and NGO and research centers. The Arab region suffered from weak extra budgetary funding which hinder significantly the advancement of the water management issues, limited R and D activities and contributed to brain drain. The Arab Aid coordination group that consist of seven funding institutions ;Islamic Development Bank, OPEC, Arab fund for Social Development ,the Arab Gulf Program for UN, the Kuwaiti , The Saudi and Abu Dhabi present a viable coordination mechanism to channel funding for regional water resources management activities. All regional organizations including network, centers, associations and NGOs and funding institutions and donors should cooperate and coordinate their programs to address water management priority issues ; formulation and implementation of regional water management projects that emphasis development of practical integrated water management ( IWRM) materials and manuals, shared water resources management studies, training of trainer workshop and expert group meetings, documentation and dissemination of lesson learned, technical exchange visits, providing financial support sustain existing water network s and NGO 4
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  functions ,innovated researchand establishment of water science and technology centers ,parks and incubators to institutionalize water management technologies and attract promising young and renowned senior water scientists. IV-Specific actions i-United Nations organization such as ESCWA, UNDP, UNESCO, UNEP and FAO and regional organizations ALESCO ,ISESCO, CEDARE and IDRC can coordinate their programs to develop a guideline on technical knowhow on demonstration method and their practical application to formulate an integrated water management plan at the basin and national levels with emphasis on data collection and analysis ,the delineation of the required coordination of all development activities, required water and water related expertise ,public participation role , financial and human resources requirement .Actually case study at a basin level or a small scale country level would help national experts enhance their knowledge on the practical aspect of IWRM plan formulation and implementation .The Arab Water council can take the leading role in the implementation of such activities. ii-The UN and regional organization; ESCWA, UNEP, FAO, WHO-CEHA ,UNESCO ,CEDARE,IDRC World Bank, ALESCO, ISESCO, ICUN,UNU- AGU- IWRM Center ,CAP-Net ,Arab Water Academy and UNESCO Training Center, Observation Du Sahara Et Du Sahel, the Arab League- ACSAD, and Water and Arab Water Security studies Center and GEF, AWC need to coordinate water management training workshops and expert group meetings in order to establish complimentarily among the issues and sustainability of activities. Focus should be placed on the training of trainer to enhance national capacity and expand dissemination of knowledge on all IWRM and shared surface and groundwater sources aspects in order to enhance confidence building measures between national experts as it can facilitate information and expertise exchange and enhance the negotiation and technical skills to draft agreement and joint management. The join organization of training workshops and expert meetings on specific water management issues can be implemented by agreeing on a leading role exercises on rotational bases among the organization in order to eliminate duplication, rationalize financial resources and avoid domination by certain entity iii-The funding of regional project on shared surface and groundwater sources among Arab countries can facilitate their cooperation to optimize the utilization of shared sources and eliminate future tensions. The current un-coordinated development of shared sources is leading to extensive depletion of groundwater sources and impact of biodiversity along coastal zone and increased salt water intrusion. Such regional project represent a priority issues .UN organizations should work together to formulate project document, solicit funding and work in complementarily bases for its implementation. Organizations that may be involved; UNESCO, UNEP, CERADRE, ACSAD, Water and Arab Water Security studies Center, Observation Du Sahara Et Du Sahel. Funding agencies by partial or complete financed by Arab Funds, donors and GEF and Islamic Bank. iv- Irrigation water management represents a priority issues as it is the major water consumer in the Arab region. Regional project needs to address agriculture policy in relation to food security and water scarcity and impacts of desertification and biodiversity. Suggested project needs to focus on irrigation efficiency and water allocation, land use, biodiversity of freshwater 5
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  coastal zones. FAO,ICARDA, ESCWA, ACSAD and AOAD can cooperate to formulate and implement such regional project. Leading role can be designated to FAO or AOAD .Potential funding sources could the Arab Fun, and international donors. V-Research and development projects need to focus on the development of water assessment methodology that can apply under arid condition as well as the evaluation of practical water management measures that take into consideration the environment, economic, social, cultural and religious conditions of the Arab region. The institutionalization of technology ;desalination, solar energy, water saving devices, appropriate and low cost wastewater treatment through technology centers and science parks such as the ones recently established by ESCWA in Jordan and Dubai. Such initiatives will lead to the availability of well trained scientific and technical cadres, reduce brain drain and attract water science to the region. Organizations that can be involved are ESCWA, UNDP, UNESCO, ALESCO, ISESCO MEDRIC and other centers and leading universities. V-Concluding remarks It is evidence that a large numbers of organizations are active in the Arab region addressing water resources management issues, however their contributions have produced mixed achievements due to the lack of coordination, weak participation by the member states and the Arab league, and NGO and lack of adequate financial resources contributions from the member states, funding institutions and donor communities. Enhanced coordination of the many capacity building initiatives ,formulation and implement of regional projects and establishment of R and D centers can contrite to enhanced management of water resources at the national and regional level, availability of well trained water professional and strengthen the role of water networks, associations and water NGO. The Member states, the Arab league should play a monitoring role to enhance coordination of all programs. The Arab Water Council should be receive support as it can be an effective and neutral facilitator to advance the management of water resources specially on Integrated water resources management aspects. 6