Water scarcity: a challenge to sustainable development

The first technical session was led by ESCWA and discussed the technical paper on the Economic Impacts of Water Scarcity in the Arab region. In this discussion, the most important measures that can be taken to enhance affordability of the Arab region’s high water investment costs were emphasized as well as the need to balance the cost and volume of large investments in infrastructure whether by private sector or governments. The importance of creating an enabling environment and increasing finance to ensure water and sustainable water development goals particularly innovative private sector financing linked to climate change adaptation were also highlighted.

This session was led by FAO in collaboration with IWMI and addressed the challenges and opportunities for the use of non-conventional water resources in the region. The discussion highlighted the importance of including promotion of production and use of non-conventional water in public policies and linking it to public health and food production. The role of governments in increasing non-conventional water resources through the expansion of wastewater and drainage water treatment and reuse through new methods and techniques that take advantage of the rapid technological development and innovation in water-related areas were also debated.    

This session was led by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and built on the intersection of two topics of great relevance to the Arab region, namely the management of scarce water resources and protracted armed conflicts. The need to protect essential services from the impact of armed conflict was identified as a growing challenged for water supply and sanitation (WSS) service providers. Discussants identified key areas on which humanitarian and development actor need to work together on to strengthen the resilience of essential services before and during protracted armed conflict notably the areas that are vital to ensure the subsistence of the civilian population, including water, wastewater, and electricity.

This session was led by UNICEF in collaboration with Oxfam and emphasized the need to preserve individuals basic human right of access to water and sanitation services.  Discussants in this session highlighted the importance of establishing a high-level coordination groups, to coordinate a multi-sectoral response between ministries and institutions concerned with water scarcity, with the aim of coordinating policies, unifying objectives, increasing technical capacity, and developing efficient water management plans. This will require increased prevention and adaptation to the effects of climate change while also involving communities and stakeholders with rights-based and transformative gender approaches to raise awareness of water scarcity and its challenges.