International Workshop // "Water-Energy-Food Nexus Implementation in the Mashreq"

The objectives of this workshop are to:

• bring in experience on competition, synergies and priorities among sectoral water usages and stakeholders in the Mashreq region and address trade-off solutions on how we are going to allocate water in the future.
• share best practices bridging the gaps between governments, communities and business concerning collaboration among water users that result into water cost reduction
• discuss how policies in the Mashreq region can be improved by a Water Nexus perspective in order to create opportunities for green economic growth and achieve the SDGs

Background

Water use is indispensably related to food production, and energy generation. Such complex interactions define the “Water- Energy-Food Nexus” (WEF Nexus), which is more and more central to water policy analysis and design everywhere. Water resources are particularly limited and vulnerable to pollution and weather extremes in the Mashreq countries. Yet, environmental protection is still considered partly in conflict with economic growth. The integrated perspective provided by the WEF Nexus may help meeting the needs of water use, by stimulating appropriate investments in the Mashreq region, on the basis of consistent and effective water policy and water governance.

The WEF nexus framework is particularly suited to the Mashreq region given the stressors, constraints and strong interdependencies between sectors. It is further necessitated by the cross-sectorial effect of climate change predicted for the region. The understanding of the dynamics of the water, energy and food sectors is essential for developing effective strategies for the sustainable use of these resources.

This theme focus on analyzing how global change affects the links between the water, energy and agricultural sector. We will especially address the question how future changes in climate and water demand may affect trade-offs and synergies between water for energy and food. To address these issues, MEDRC Water Research Center of Oman will organize in cooperation with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Foundation of Germany a 2-days regional workshop (plus one day for technical visit) gathering renowned international experts together with representatives from the Ministries and other players of water, energy and agriculture in the Mashreq countries.

Agenda

Day 1: 24 Sep 2018

08.30 – 09.00
Arrival & Registration

Session 1: Opening and Introduction

09.00 – 09.45
Welcoming & Opening remarks

• Dr. Fadi Comair, Director General of Hydraulic and Electrical Resources, Ministry of Energy and Water
• Ms. Rola Majdalani, Director of the Sustainable Development Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
• Prof. Mouïn Hamzé, secretary general of the National Council for Scientific Research, Lebanon
• Dr. Rabi Mohtar, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut
• Mr. Almotaz Abadi (Senior Water Advisor, Union for the Mediterranean Secretariat, Barcelona)
• Ms. Daniela Diegelmann (Head of Regional Program: Energy Security and Climate Change - KAS - REMENA), Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS)
• Dr. Jauad El Kharraz (Head of Research, MEDRC Water Research, Sultanate of Oman)

Session 2: WEF Nexus Implementation (Lebanese Perspective)

09.45 – 10.15
Water and Energy resources in Lebanon: the Nexus state of the art

• Dr. Fadi Comair, Director General of Hydraulic and Electrical Resources, Ministry of Energy and Water

10.15 – 10.45
Water-Food Nexus in Lebanon: Water productivity assessment

• Dr. Talal Darwish, National Council for Scientific Research, Lebanon

10.45 – 11.15
Discussion

• Moderator: Mr. Fadi Bizri, B&Y Venture Partners, Lebanon

11.15 – 11.30
Coffee Break & Group photo

11.30 – 12.00
WEF Nexus in Lebanon: Challenges & Opportunities

• Dr. Rabi Mohtar, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

12.00 – 12.30
WEF nexus: Akkar (North Lebanon) Case study

• Dr. Jalal Al Halwani, Lebanese University, Lebanon

12.30 – 13.00
Discussion

• Moderator: Dr. Hammou Laamrani, Senior Expert, League of Arab States

13.00 – 14.00
Lunch

Session 3: WEF Nexus Implementation (Regional Perspective)

14.00 – 14.30
WEF Nexus in the Mashreq countries: UN-ESCWA & SDGs perspectives

• Mr. Ali Karnib, Senior Water Expert, Sustainable Development Policies Division, UN-ESCWA.

14.30 – 15.00
WEF nexus in Palestine: Challenges & Opportunities

• Eng. Rebhy Al-Sheikh, Former PWA Director in Gaza, Gaza

15.00 – 15.30
Discussion

• Moderator: Dr. Rana El Hajj Program Manager, AUB, Lebanon

15.30 – 15.45
Coffee Break & Group photo

15.45 – 16.15
Downscaling and exploring the WEF nexus at the household level: A case study from Jordan

• Dr. Maha Al-Zu'bi, Action Planning Expert, Global Green Growth Institute, Jordan

16.15 – 17.15
WEF Nexus in Oman: Challenges & Opportunities

• Dr. Abdullah Al-Abri, Technical Lead, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), Oman

17.15 – 17.45
Discussion

• Moderator: Dr. Ziad Khayat, UN-ESCWA

17.45 – 18.00
End of the first day

Day 2: 25 Sep 2018

Session 3: WEF Nexus Implementation (Regional case studies)

08.30 – 9.00
Summary of first day

• Mr. Firas Abdelhadi

9.00 – 9.20
EcoPeace’s Water Energy Nexus project

• Mrs. Yana Abu Taleb (Jordanian Director of EcoPeace Middle East) & Mrs. Nada Majdalani (Palestinian Director EcoPeace Middle East)

9.20 – 9.40
The Water-Energy-Agriculture Nexus in Jordan – A case study on As-Samra wastewater treatment plant in the Lower Jordan River Basin

• Mr, Patrick Bachelery, Samra Plant O&M Co GM, Jordan

9.40 – 10.00
Gender Empowerment - Water - Treated Wastewater Reuse Nexus in Ein Qinia Village, Ramallah - Palestine

• Dr. Marwan Ghanem, Birzeit University, Palestine

10.00 – 10.30
Discussion

• Moderator: Dr. Khalil Alabsi, Director of Planning and Regional Water Administration. Jordan Valley Authority, Ministry of Water & Irrigation

10.30 – 10.45
Coffee Break

10.45 – 11.15
Sahara Wind Power Project: A Regional Catalyst for Renewables

• Mr. Khalid Benhamou, Managing Director - Sahara Wind Inc., Morocco

11.15 – 11.45
A Nexus case study from Algeria

• Dr. Nadjib Drouiche, Head of Environmental Team, CRTSE, Algeria

11.45 – 12.15
Discussion

• Moderator: Dr. Thameur Chaibi, Senior Expert, National Research institute for Rural Engineering, Water and Forestry, Tunisia

12.15 – 12.45
Working groups briefing

Focused working group discussions under the direction of engaged leaders from across the Nexus sectors in the Mashreq. The following questions will guide the discussions:

Working group 1 (Water Security) with a moderator and a rapporteur

• What are the barriers hampering the adoption of a cross-sectoral perspective for water management?
• Which public policies (incentives, mechanisms such as taxes or subsidies and, administrative tools such as river basin management plans) could, and should be promoted in order to remove such barriers?
• What are the economic benefits for stakeholders and companies to adopt a cross-sectoral perspective for water management in the Mashreq region?
• Which issues should be addressed in order to improve water governance and collaboration among stakeholders and between stakeholders and governments, in order to fully tap into the economic growth potentials of the Mashreq region?
• What is required Institutionally, Legislatively, Technically, Economically to implement the WEF Nexus in the Mashreq countries?

Working group 2 (Energy Security) with a moderator and a rapporteur

• What are the barriers hampering the adoption of a cross-sectoral perspective for energy management?
• Which public policies (incentives, mechanisms such as taxes or subsidies and, administrative tools) could, and should be promoted in order to remove such barriers?
• What are the economic benefits for stakeholders and companies to adopt a cross-sectoral perspective to ensure energy security in the Mashreq region?
• Which issues should be addressed in order to improve energy governance and collaboration among stakeholders and between stakeholders and governments, in order to fully tap into the economic growth potentials of the Mashreq region?
• What is required Institutionally, Legislatively, Technically, Economically to implement the WEF Nexus in the Mashreq countries?

Working group 3 (Food Security) with a moderator and a rapporteur

• What are the barriers hampering the adoption of a cross-sectoral perspective for food security?
• Which public policies (incentives, mechanisms such as taxes or subsidies and, administrative tools) could, and should be promoted in order to remove such barriers?
• What are the economic benefits for stakeholders and companies to adopt a cross-sectoral perspective for food security in the Mashreq region?
• Which issues should be addressed in order to improve agriculture governance and collaboration among stakeholders and between stakeholders and governments, in order to fully tap into the economic growth potentials of the Mashreq region?
• What is required Institutionally, Legislatively, Technically, Economically to implement the WEF Nexus in the Mashreq countries?

12.45 – 14.00
Lunch

14.30 – 16.00
Working groups Discussions separately with a coffee break of 15 minutes at 15.30

16.00 – 16.45
Plenary session with presentations by the rapporteurs of the working groups

16.45 – 17.15
Discussion about the main recommendations and the creation of the network of Mashreq Experts in Water-Energy-Food Nexus

17.15 – 17.30
Concluding remarks – Dr. Jauad El Kharraz & Ms. Daniela Diegelmann

17.30 – 17.30
Adjourn

Day 3: 26 Sep 2018: Technical Visits

09.00 – 12.30
Visit of Chabrouh dam

The Faraya-Chabrouh Dam is a dam above the village of Faraya Lebanon, 40 kilometers northeast of Beirut that was inaugurated in 2007

Program to be provided soon

Where and when

Radisson BLU Martinez Hotel
Beirut
Lebanon

24-26 Sep 2018

Organised by

• MEDRC Water Resarch
• Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS)

Previous MEDRC/KAS workshop