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Enhancing Cooperation for Internationally Shared Aquifers in the Mediterranean Region

This project aims to develop capacity, methodologies, guidelines, and legal tools for sustainable management and protection of internationally shared groundwater and related surface water resources in the Mediterranean region. The project will promote networking, exchange of best practices, and strengthen national and local capacity for managing and protecting shared groundwater resources.

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Enhancing Cooperation for Internationally Shared Aquifers in the Mediterranean Region

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  1. The use, management and protection of internationally shared aquifers in the Mediterranean region Creating networks within and outside the UN family for enhanced cooperation By: M. Al-Eryani, UNESCWA Bo Libert, UNECE Stephen Donkor, UNECA Branko Bosnjakovic, EST Consultancy

  2. The need for interregional cooperation over internationally shared aquifers in the Mediterranean region • The Mediterranean countries are facing common challenges and development constraints related to water scarcity and resource degradation, • Many countries in the region are becoming increasingly dependent on shared water resources. As much as 80% of the water resources in the Mediterranean region depend on shared water. • There is the need and scope for inter-regional cooperation and coordination in between and among the countries in the three regions.

  3. Project Goals • to develop and/or further enhance: • capacity • methodologies (technological, economic, institutional), • guidelines , and • legal tools for sustainable utilization, management and protection of internationally shared GW and related SW resources in the Mediterranean Region.

  4. Regional cooperation will add value to this process by: • promoting networking and • exchange of best practices.

  5. Immediate Objectives • Mobilize & establish mechanisms for coop. between interested MS and various institutions, • Implement & test management & protection mechanisms based on review of international experience from other regions, • Develop specific technical guidelines for monitor- ing & assessment, for specific categories of GW (karst, deep, shallow, renewable & non-ren aq.), & • Strengthen national & local capacity for manage- ment & protection of shared GW res.

  6. Possible Activities & Outputs -Identify & liaise with existing & planned projects by establishing a corresponding network, • Enhance cooperation between interested countries & assist in forming national focal points and/or WG in the three regions • Initiate and support an inventory database of shared GW resources & related SW systems in the participating Mediterranean countries,

  7. Possible Activities & Outputs (Cont’d) -Exchange, extract and disseminate relevant experience and best practices, -Initiate pilot projects for management of selected shared GW resources representative of the management challenges in the region, on the basis of country request, -Develop guidelines and criteria (including institut., legisl., technological instrum. & recommendations) for appropriate cooperative frameworks, for specific categories of shared GW resources,

  8. Possible Activities & Outputs (Cont’d) -Strengthen capacityof national water managers and key representatives of water usersin the application and further development of the criteria and guidelines,

  9. Beneficiaries National and local water authorities as well as individual water users in the Mediterranean region.

  10. Envisaged partner organizations UNESCO, CEDARE, EU, ACSAD, GRI (Egypt), University of Cagliari, Ecologic and other national, international and regional organizations. A Lead Organization University of Wageningen.

  11. Organization The project will be supervised by the three regional commissions (ESCWA, ECA and ECE).

  12. Project initialization • Principle approval by appropriate bodies …..done • Formulation of a final project document, following an interactive and participatory approach …. to commence soon • Identification of interested donors …done • Finalization of the project document

  13. Project development stages, Cont. • Possible pilot aquifers (one in East Mediterranean and one in West Med): Øin Syria–Lebanon: the Anti-Lebanon Cenemonian- Jurassic limestone aquifer Øin Morocco- Algeria: the Wajda aquifer. ØIn Turkey-Syria: the Ras El-Ein (Eocene) aquifer.

  14. Concluding Remarks • The planned project addresses an issue which is gaining an increasing importance for many Member countries in the three regions of ESCWA, ECE and ECA. • Given the varied experiences of countries in the region in the management of shared aquifers, the project will certainly provide an opportunity not only to enhance regional cooperation through the creation of networks within and outside the UN family but also to exchange and reinforce relevant experiences and best practices.

  15. Relevant experience from the ESCWA region • The basalt aquifer between Syria and Jordan (mostly hydrogeological investigations) • The Neubian Sandstone aquifer (Egypt, Lybia, Sudan and Chad) (hydrogeological investigations and and managerial framework)

  16. BASALT AQUIFERSYSTEM IN JORDAN AND THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC

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