Plenary Session # 1: Coping with Water Scarcity in Near East and North Africa: Shifting Gear, ByProf. Mahmoud Abu-Zeid President, AWC, Land and Water Days in Near East & North Africa, 15-18 December 2013, Amman, Jordan

1. Neat East & North Africa Land & Water Days
15 – 18 December, Amman, Jordan
Plenary Session # 1
16 December 2013
Coping with Water Scarcity in Near East
And North Africa:
Shifting Gear
Keynote Speech
By
Prof. Mahmoud Abu-Zeid
President, AWC

2. Presentation Outline
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction: Near East and North Africa Region
Climate
Water and Agricultural Resources in the NENA Region
Water Scarcity in the NENA Region: Major Causes
Key Water Challenges in the NENA Region
Innovative Solutions to cope with Water Scarcity in the NENA Region
Regional Initiatives / Achievements
Targets concluded from International Conferences
The Way Forward

3. The Near East and North Africa (NENA) Region
Grouped in three sub-regions based on geographic and hydro-climatic
similarities:
1. North Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Mauritania
2. Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, KSA, Qatar, UAE &
Yemen
3. Middle East: Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Sudan

4. The NENA Region: Facts & Figures
• Land area about 15 million km2
• Total population exceeds 400 million inhabitants
• About 6% of world population with only 1% of the world’s
renewable water resources

5. CLIMATE
• About 70% of the total area is under desert
and arid conditions
• One of the hardest hit regions by CC Impacts
• Sea level rise and flooding in coastal areas

6. Water Resources in the NENA Region
• The NENA region is one of the most water-scarce regions in the
world.
• The average annual precipitation is estimated at 150 mm.
• Likely decrease in surface water flows.
• Reduced aquifer recharge and seawater intrusion.
• The Renewable Water Resources per capita is one of the lowest in
the world due to population growth (690 m³ in the region vs 6400
m³/c/y in the world).
• Devastating droughts occur every year in large parts of the region.

7. Comparison between WR in selected countries in NENA Region
The Table shows how different the total renewable water resources and are,
where Iran is the richest in terms of renewable water resources and Jordan is the
least (in Billion m³/year).
Country
Egypt
Iran
Tunisia Algeria
Morocco
Iraq
KSA
Yemen
Jordan
Surface Water
56
106.3
3.4
10.15
22 74.33
22
2
0.65
Ground Water
1.3
49.3
1.595
1.517
10
3.28
22
1.5
0.54
57.3
137.5
4.595
11.67
29 75.61
24
2.1
0.937
Total renewable
water resources

8. Agricultural Resources
in the NENA Region
 Agriculture is the major driver of economy and food security (employs
21% of population & contributes over 10% of regional GDP).
 Most of the NENA countries use 75 to 90% of its resources for
agriculture, except for Iran which uses more that 90% and Algeria
50 to 75%.
 All countries are net importers of food.
 Deficit in cereals is more than double between 2000 – 2030.

9. Water Scarcity in the NENA Region:
Major Causes
1. Mismanagement of water especially in the agric. sector
2.Transboundary rivers and water conflict problems
3. Water quality degradation and water pollution
4. Climate change implications
5. Weak information systems

10. Key Water Challenges
A) Water Scarcity and population pressure
B) Food insecurity
C) Access to safe water and sanitation
D) Vulnerability of water resources
E) Mounting environmental problems
F) Inefficiencies in the governance structure
4

11. Other Related Challenges
• The continuous population growth,
• The growing supply/demand gap,
• Lack of coordination between different
sectors and stakeholders,
• Uncertainty in global climate change,
• High vulnerability to drought,
• Problems of transboundary waters,
• Limited information on water resources,
• Water quality degradation and water pollution,
• Limited awareness of water issues,
• Lack of funds for water development,
• Capacity building and institutional development.

12. A) Water Scarcity
“The least per capita share in the World”
Global Shares of Renewable Water Resources (2000)
40000
Per Capita Share (cu m/yr)
35808
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
21622
16368
10867
7243
4980
4270
3681
3518
1909
1060
177
C
C
G
So
ut
he
rn
Am
Ea
er
st
ic
er
a
n
N
Eu
or
C
ro
th
.A
pe
er
m
n
er
Am
ic
er
a
&
ic
a
Ca
rib
be
an
W
or
ld
W
.&
Af
Ce
ric
nt
a
ra
lE
ur
op
C
e
en
t ra
S.
lA
&
Ea
si
a
st
er
n
As
ia
N
ea
rE
as
Ar
t
ab
R
eg
io
n
0
GCC = Gulf Cooperation Council

13. Features of Water Scarcity
in the NENA Region
With population expected to grow from around 400 million today to around
600 million in 2050, per capita availability is expected to halve by 2050
Arab Region Population & and diminishing per capita
Rapidly growing populationPer Capita Water Shares
share
4000
3500
500
3000
400
2500
300
2000
1500
200
1000
100
500
Population
Share from IRWR
IRWR= Internal Renewable Water Resources
2060
2040
2020
2000
1980
1960
0
1940
0
Water Share (cu.m/cap/yr)
4500
600
Population (Million)
700
Share from ARWR
ARWR= Actual (total) Renewable Water Resources

14. B) Food Insecurity
• About 80 % of food production depends on
erratic rainfall.
• Irrigated agriculture share is about 90% of the
available water resources.
• The region is net importer of food with an
average 80 million tons per year, and import bill
about US$ 23.5 billion annually.
• Agriculture directly employs about 21% of
population; many of them are females.
?
?
??

15. C) Access to Clean Water
and Sanitation
With distinct differences from one country to the other in the
Region, further 83 million persons (27 %) need to be supplied with
safe water and 96 million (30 %) with sanitation services in order
to meet the MDGs.

16. Population Served / Unserved by Improved Drinking
Water / Sanitation Facilities in 2008
400
Unserved
Served
Population (millions)
350
300
59
77
285
268
Drinking Water
Sanitation
250
200
150
100
50
0

17. D) Vulnerability of Water Resources
• More than 60 % of renewable water
resources are generated from outside the
region
• Growing demands and uses increase
pressure on already fragile and scarce
water resources and their ecosystems
• Physical and environmental destructions
caused by conflicts and wars in the region

18. E) Mounting Environmental Problems
• Environmental degradation including
deteriorated water quality and
salinization;
• Pollution caused by fast-growing cities
and industries;
• Insufficient wastewater treatment
facilities;
• Poor or non-existing solid-waste
management;
• Weak pollution control and abatement
programs.

19. F) Inefficiencies in the Water Resources
Governance Structure
• Dominance of centralized sectoral water management;
• Transparency and accountability problems in service provision;
• Insufficient financing of recurrent costs of water control and
distribution systems.

20. Opportunities
• The region is a leader in technological innovation, including, but
not restricted to, hi-tech micro-irrigation, supplementary
irrigation techniques, exploitation of wadi flash floods and
shallow groundwater recharge in desert conditions.
• Wastewater has to be reclassified as a renewable
water resource rather than waste.

21. Solutions to cope with
Water Scarcity in the NENA Region
Solutions are dependent on the following 3 crucial issues
1. Political power should show suitable goodwill in
protecting the water resources
2. An adequate mobilization of the financial means
3. The presence of technicians & scientists having the
required ability for implementing the proposed solutions

22. Key Concepts and Innovative Solutions to cope with
Water Scarcity in the NENA Region
1. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
2. Balance between Demand Management and Supply management
3. Improvement of water use efficiency & increasing water productivity
4. Non-conventional Water Resources (Desalination;
Wastewater, Drainage Water & Brackish Water Reuse; Groundwater
Development)
5. Achieving Sustainable Development and Environmental Sustainability
6.
Introducing the concept of green economy for sustainable
development

23. Innovative Solutions to cope with Water Scarcity
in the NENA Region (cont.)
7.
Transboundary waters as a tool for peace and cooperation
8.
The Nexus Approach (Water-Food-Energy-CC)
9.
Water Governance: transparency, accountability and cost-
effectiveness
10. Importance of coordination and multi-stakeholder partnerships
11. Capacity building
12. Financial security

24. 1. Integrated Water Resources Management
(IWRM)
IWRM is the systematic cross-sectoral
process for the sustainable development of
water resources to maximize the social,
economic and environmental benefits from
its efficient use.

25. 2. Water Demand Management
•
Almost all countries in the Region are engaged
in the development of appropriate instruments
and institutions to manage water demands
including:
– Investing in technology that minimizes
demands
– Improving reliability and accountability in
service delivery
– Involvement of stakeholders at all levels of
planning and management

26. Actions for
Water Demand Management
a) Reduce waste in the irrigation system
b) Reduce water consumptive use through better crop
management.
c) Recycle and reuse of water and wastewater for irrigation.
d) Eradicate salinity and waterlogging of affected irrigation.
e) Drainage and flood control practices to preserve water quality.
f) Multi-disciplinary approach to water management practices by
reforming the education system
g) Capacity building to carry out R & D.
h) Proper guidance and training from various institutions.
i) Broaden the participation of stakeholders and stimulate the
private sector to invest in new technology, practices and
programs.

27. 3. Water Conservation
and Water Productivity
Interventions include :
A) Agricultural Land Drainage
B) Bio-Saline Agriculture
C) Supplementary Irrigation
D) Water Harvesting

28. 4. Innovations in Non-conventional
Water Resources Development
Interventions to narrow the gap between supply and
demand in the Region included:
A) Desalination of sea water
B) Municipal wastewater and drainage reuse
C) Brackish Water Reuse
D) Groundwater Development for Wadi-Systems

29. Desalination
About two-thirds of the world's total desalination capacity is
installed in the GCC Countries (about 3.2 billion m³/yr).
• Saudi Arabia alone accounts
for 25-30 % of the world’s
capacity
• all GCC Countries supply the
bulk of municipal and
industrial water from
desalination
•
• Reliance on desalination is
expected to increase as the
population grows
Jubail, Saudi Arabia 800 mg/d
Al Taweelah , UAE
Al Hidd II, Bahrain
Ras Abu Fontas, Qatar

30. Brackish Water Use
for Agricultural Production
• Different types of brackish water reuse exist (drainage water
reuse, groundwater reuse and wastewater reuse).
• Constraints facing brackish water use include: increase in soil
salinity, yield reductions and high cost of agricultural inputs.
• On the other hand, brackish water could be looked at as an
opportunity for irrigation, whether directly, or it could be
desalinated or mixed with treated wastewater.

31. 5. Facing the Risk of Climate Change
• The region’s climate is getting warmer, drier and more
variable.
• Climate change adds uncertainty to water-related
decisions and is likely to change precipitation patterns.
• Sea level rise could affect the most populated zones in
the Region and millions of people could be displaced.

32. Climate Change & Sea Water Rise
(Nile Delta Example)
Nile Delta – Current situation
Nile Delta – 2 Meter Sea Level Rise
24

33. • Meeting climate change
challenges requires
innovations, applications of
science and technology,
• Climate change impacts should
be included in master plans for
water use in all sectors in the
region.

34. 6. The Nexus Approach
• Applying a nexus approach between Water-Food-Energy-CC is an
urgent must to create new opportunities for achieving water and
energy security while reducing tensions between sectoral
objectives.
• Realizing these opportunities requires action for change.
• In any case, a true nexus approach can only be achieved through
close collaboration of all actors from all sectors including private
sector

35. 7. Transboundary Waters as a Tool for
Peace & Cooperation
• More than 65% of the member countries
surface water originates from outside their
political borders.
• Shared water resources must be seen as an
opportunity for building cooperation and
peace.
•
Countries need new mechanisms for conflict
resolution.

36. 8. Institutional Innovations
• Several countries created a unified institutional structure for
integrated resource management
• For example; in the GCC Countries and in Yemen, an
independent ministry is responsible for managing their water
resources
• In Egypt; a Cabinet level Ministerial Committee is
responsible for inter-sectoral coordination of water
resources management

37. Institutional Innovations
… continued
Decentralization :
– Yemen decentralized water supply and sanitation to selfaccounting autonomous corporations
– Syria established independent water directorates at the basin
level and decentralized water supply and sanitation services
– Egypt established Integrated Water Management Inspectorates
at the local level
Participation :
– Egypt established WUAs at tertiary canal level
and Water Boards at the District level
– Similarly, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen established
WUAs.
Water User Assoc

38. 9. Improvement of Water Governance
• Clarifying irrigation water tenure rules and
•
•
•
•
implementing dispute resolution mechanisms
Increasing the capacity of institutions at all
levels, and providing essential training on
integrated water management
Further involvement of multiple stakeholders in
planning and decision-making
Public awareness and information disclosure
Measures to increase transparency and empower
stakeholders

39. 10. Financial Sustainability
Sustainable financial arrangement is
being promoted through:
A) Securing public investments
B) Effective cost recovery schemes
C) Private sector involvement

40. NEEDS
Need to put Water
on top of the Political Agenda
The complex dimensions of freshwater in the NENA region, its
fragility and its scarcity have received considerable
attention as a priority issue politically, technically and
scientifically. This puts water on top of the political agenda
in all Arab water fora.

41. Need for Appropriate
Integrated Water Policies
In the NENA region, food security is essential for
political, social and economic stability and is strongly
linked to water security. Food production within the
region must be balanced with food imports. All kinds
of cooperation should be encouraged not only
towards achieving “more crop per drop” but also
achieving “more crop per less drop.”
? ?
?
?

42. Improving the Food Security
Status of the Region
??
??
• Agriculture will continue to be a major component of the regional
economy, contributing to employment, social and food security
enhancement.
• The over-exploitation of the available surface and groundwater in
response to the increasing demands is not only reducing its
availability but also jeopardizing its quality.
• To manage drought successfully, it is necessary to shift from the
crisis management interactive approach, to the risk management
proactive approach, where moves are taken well in advance of
events.

43. Regional Initiatives/Achievements
• Adoption of the Strategy for Sustainable Arab Agriculture
Development until year 2025.
• Implementation of the “Water and Sanitation” MDGs by
2015.
• In 2011, AWMC endorsed an Integrated Water Resources
Management (IWRM) initiative.

44. Regional Initiatives/Achievements (cont.)
•RICCAR Regional Initiative for the Assessment of the Impact
of Climate Change on Water Resources and Socio-Economic
Vulnerability in the Arab Region initiated by ESCWA.
•Adoption of an “Arab Water Security Strategy” (2010 – 2030)
endorsed by the League of Arab States (LAS) in 2012. An
Action Plan for implementation of the first 5-year plan has
presently been developed.

45. Regional Initiatives/Achievements (cont.)
• FAO Regional Water Scarcity Initiative (RWSI) launched in
2012 to achieve a Regional Collaborative Strategy to be
carried out on a partnership basis among member countries
and with international and regional partners.
• FAO Land and Water Days(LWDs) as component of the
RWSI.

46. Targets
concluded from International Conferences
According to WWF6 (Marseille, Mar. 2012): To raise the water
use efficiency in the Arab countries by 10 – 15% by year 2020
in order to meet increased water demand and ensure water
and food security for sustainable development.
According to Doha Int. Conference on Food Security in
Drylands (Nov. 2012): To secure a political commitment for an
increased percentage (up to 10%) of budget allocations for
agriculture .

47. Regional Cooperation
and Coordination
• 2013 is the International Year of Cooperation
• The Arab Water Security Strategy is an example of a Regional
Integrated Strategy
• The FAO Water Scarcity Initiative aims at setting the stage for a
Regional Collaborative Strategy and Partnerships.
• Today’s event (FAO Land & Water Days) is an integral
component of this collaborative strategy.
Together let’s make it a success.

48. Take-Home Key Messages & Recommendations
1. Water is at the Heart of Sustainable Development.
2. Water should NOT be treated as a “sector” alone, but as a cross-linked issue,
and should be looked at within a Nexus Framework including W-F-E-CC.
3. Comprehensive national water assessments should be linked to national
development strategies.
4. Implementation of water-related SDGs should include dimensions of
economic growth, social development and environmental management.
5. Innovative and non-conventional solutions should be introduced in response
to the post-2015 global water challenges.
6. Successful implementation of solutions depends on 3 fundamental pillars:
political goodwill, financial resources & technical capabilities.
7. Regional collaborative strategies and partnerships are no longer an option,
but a must to achieve the Future We Want.

49. What Next ???
For the way forward …
• There should be a clear vision and a sustainable action plan to
solve the water problems in the whole of the NENA region.
• The ultimate challenge for all water professionals, decisionmakers and politicians is to put into practice what we all very well
know. It is essential that we translate the ideas, conclusions, and
recommendations into actions on the ground.
• It is time for Implementation ..
Time to SHIFT GEAR

50. FINALLY …
The Arab Water Council
is committed to keep playing the role of Regional
Coordinator for all water activities and action plans on
the ground, in support of integration, cooperation and
networking as a tool to face the challenges of water
scarcity on the regional scale.