Amany Abdel-Moneim listens to the splish-splash of Arab identity In collaboration with the World Bank, the Islamic Bank for Development and a host of regional and international organisations, the Arab Water Council (AWC) held its second consultative workshop in December -- in preparation for the fourth World Water Forum (WWF), to be held in March in Mexico City. (It is worth noting that the first WWF was held in Morocco in 1997, the second in the Netherlands in 2000 and the third in Japan in 2003). The event brought officials, experts and representatives of the civil and private sectors from across the Arab world to an intense discussion of water security issues, including follow-up and feedback on progress achieved since the first consultative workshop and a discussion of the relevant Draft Regional Document. "We refuse to think of water as a commodity to be bought and sold." Thus said Mahmoud Abu Zeid, minister of water resources and irrigation and honorary president of the AWC, in his opening speech. "Water is the life blood of humanity; and its lack or inadequate sanitation exposes people, especially children, to all manner of disease, sometimes resulting in death. We cannot afford to ignore it." He went on to stress the importance of protecting such facilities as dams, canals and bridges from possible military attack, citing the experience of Iraq, before the workshop progressed on its way. And it was to make a remarkably successful journey, at least by the testimony of such figures as the high-profile Sudanese politician Al-Sadeq Al-Mahdi, who spoke of it representing a united Arab front -- active participation as opposed to passive response. "This unified standpoint will no doubt reflect regional interests," King Fahd University professor Walid Abdul- Qader concurred, "prompting the relevant bodies to prioritise the most crucial issues, whether educational or financial." He went on to explain that, being the largest non-governmental organisation in 22 Arab countries, since its establishment in April 2004 the AWC has not only contributed to sustainable development but worked to raise regional and global awareness of water issues. Comprising 10 per cent of the world surface area and five per cent of the world population, according to the Regional Centre for Water Ethics Studies, the Arab world, with its mostly dry or semi-dry climate, possesses only one per cent of the world's fresh water resources. The situation is further complicated by the fact that much of this water comes from rivers lying partially outside Arab borders. It was in this connection that Figeh Gagantan, the World Bank representative, commended Egypt's Nile Basin Agreement as "a model with much potential that can be widely applied". Citing several experiences in Morocco, she stressed the team spirit that informed them, pointing up its advantages over individual initiatives. For his part Karim Elwi, representative of the Islamic Bank for Development, complained that there is not enough investment in the water resources sector, even despite the United Nations prioritising it. Elwi confirmed that the Islamic Bank for Development provides $2.2 billion to this end, 55 per cent of which is allocated to the Middle East. "We hope that by 2015, each individual will be getting her full quota of clean fresh water." The participants went on to discuss various strategies of dealing with the challenge of water shortages, from efficient utilisation to rain-based agriculture. Highlighting the fact that in western Asia and North Africa, the per capita share of water has dropped far below acceptable levels, they looked forward to the WWF, the slogan of which is "local action for global challenge", which they agreed would provide a much needed opportunity for sharing knowledge and experience. Jose Antonio Rodrigo, regional coordinator of the WWF in question, explained that, in order to obtain accurate information, the surface of the earth was divided into four regions -- the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Ocean -- which "entails that each region should present its problems and strategies to overcome its own challenges" -- something to which exchanging experiences will no doubt contribute. Even children will have the opportunity to discuss the issue in the WWF, the framework of a UN educational programme. "Children from Egypt and the Arab world will be selected to attend the forum," Abu Zeid announced, "to express their views regarding water challenges and provision to guarantee the continuation of economic and social development."
