Water management forum opens today
Jordan Times
June 6, 2007
AMMAN -- A regional forum on local water governance entitled, "Water is everybody's business" opens today.
The Euro-Med Participatory Water Resources Scenarios (EMPOWERS) Partnership, supported by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, is holding the forum under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah.
More than 200 specialists representing decision-makers in the Arab world's water sectors, representatives of donor organisations, water networks, as well as regional and international NGOs and academia are attending the forum, organised by 15 local, regional and international organisations.
The forum is based on the argument that solutions for water problems in any community are viable only if water management plans are implemented in a participatory manner, according to a statement released by the organisers.
It, therefore, aims to promote the involvement of local communities and officials in the decision-making process, planning and implementation of water activities -- regarded as one of the most important pillars of good local water resources governance.
Active community participation in planning and decision-making in the water sector, whether at the local or national level, is based on enforcement of policies and legislations that are supportive of this societal role which the world now considers as a solution to many water management problems, the statement said.
These problems have gained extra weight in the Arab world where water scarcity has reached unprecedented levels. An outcome of this situation is that many water users claim priority for themselves for getting a bigger water share which would be at the expense of other users, according to the event organisers.
Long-term solutions require the adoption of a systematic approach based on an integrated management of water resources, which cannot be achieved except by the participation of citizens from all social and economic classes, the statement added.
Participants will focus on the efforts required to enhance this participation and on coordination mechanisms among all community groups to achieve their visions and strategies.
This requires building the capacities of intermediate-level stakeholders to be able to facilitate involvement of ordinary citizens and create awareness on the active role they can play in water resource management.
The forum will also address the importance of making credible water-related information available to all citizens as such data is the infrastructure for any successful planning process.
The EMPOWERS Partnership, co-funded by the European Union's MEDA Water Programme, is a regional project implemented in Jordan, Palestine and Egypt.