Water Security Forum

The Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO) is a specialized organization affiliated with the League of Arab States that promotes administrative development, networking and the exchange of knowledge in the Arab region through the design and delivery of learning programs for development stakeholders (policymakers, civil servants, think tanks, business and civil society leaders, etc...). A forum on "Water Security" will be organized by ARADO during the period December 28-30, 2009 in Aqaba, Jordan. We would like to encourage your participation as a speaker (for one session) to contribute and guide the development of a long term vision on water security. The forum discusses water security as one of the leading critical issues faced by the Arab region in the 21st Century: an issue exacerbated by conflict on hegemony over water resources in the region, a widening water poverty line and the increasing demand for water by a swelling Arab population. Mainly as a result of the widening gap between supply and demand, and disputes over water appropriation among Arab states, water security has emerged as a potential trigger for political and military conflicts. The adoption of water pricing policies as proposed by Turkey, Israel and Nile Basin countries and endorsed by FAO and the World Bank impinges on water, food and national Arab security. This forum signals a warning against current and potential water crisis and examines their social, economic and political implications on the Arab region and the World. It seeks to present an analytical and strategic perspective on water crisis in the Arab region in light of its evolution, cause and negative implications.