EMWIS Flash N°90, May 2011

EMWIS Flash - May 2011 Euro-Mediterranean Information System on the know-how in the Water Sector EMWIS is a program of the Union for the Mediterranean. For further information: www.emwis.net Monthly Flash produced by the EMWIS Technical Unit- OIEAU, CEDEX, SOGESID- It is available in English, French & Arabic. (French & Arabic versions are available few days later) Mediterranean Water Information Mechanism / Geo-Catalogue / UfM-Water

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In this issue N°90 (www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/eflash/flash90)
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HEADLINE
1- The Fourth Meeting of the Water Expert Group (WEG) of the Union for the Mediterranean
IN BRIEF

2- A meeting of the UfM in Strasbourg on 7th and 8th November
3- EIB welcomes Deauville Partnership for Middle East and North Africa

4- International meeting for Local and Regional Authorities’ political process

5- Water in the Mediterranean discussed ahead of regional and world summits

6- ENPI CBCMed to hold information events on strategic projects call across the Mediterranean
7- Arab Water Ministerial Council aggreed on a draft Arab Water Strategy

8- France: Degremont wins a contract of € 100 million in Nice
9- France: Lyonnaise des Eaux and Terrena join on the Water and Environment in Agriculture
10- France: Sun-dried French Fields
11- Morocco: Cadagua to get 75,800 m³/d from desalination plant

12- Morocco: H2020 promotes wastewater treatment and reuse

13- Tunisia: Recovery of investment in the renewable program

14- Libya: what role for Great Man-Made River Project in conflict?

15- Lebanon: Water Evaluation and Planning System
16- Syria to invest 2 billion dollars in waste water treatment systems by 2015

17- Palestine: Minister Attili and Dr. Husseini Discuss the Union for the Mediterranean’s Water Projects

18- Palestine: Right to water and sanitation campaign launched

19-Jordan: Groundwater to save the capital, for a while
20- Israel: Water reuse in Sao Paulo agreement

21- Israel: Mekorot Opens a new desalination plant
22- Israel: EUR 142 million for construction of a seawater desalination plant

23- Israel: Water shortage greater than previously thought

24- Sentinel-1 to offer new ways of monitoring crops from space

25- Knowledge Sharing Between Baltic and Danube

26- Nuclear Desalination: Fresh Water from Waste Heat of Power Plants

27- The Blue Gold: Water Supply in the Middle East

28- Striking the stone Israeli firms offer technology to slake the world’s thirst

29- Nestle wants a stock market of the water
NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
PUBLICATIONS  
CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
CALL FOR PAPERS
TRAINING
EVENTS
PROJECTS
BRIEF EMWIS SITE MAP
CONTACT US / COMMENTS

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HEADLINE
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1- The Fourth Meeting of the Water Expert Group (WEG) of the Union for the Mediterranean was held on May 18th 2011, at the Palau de Pedralbes in Barcelona, Spain to discuss the way forward in the field of water, especially with regards to the identification and development of joint Mediterranean water projects. The meeting, chaired by the Head of the Environment & Water Division of the UfM Secretariat Dr. Rafik Husseini, included representatives from 22 member countries, the European Commission, the Arab league, and was also attended by the representatives of inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations. The meeting has addressed two main issues. First, the need to proceed with the preparation of the drafting of the Action Plan as decreed by the Ministerial conference on water held in the Dead Sea (Jordan) in December 2008, so that the UfM strategy and its action plan (if ready) may be submitted together for endorsement whenever the Co-Presidency deems appropriate. Secondly, the participants committed themselves to follow the recently approved UfM project guidelines when submitting their respective projects in the field of water. They agree to propose the labelization of the project of desalination for Gaza to the Senior Official Meeting. Other projects were briefly presented, including the Mediterranean Water Knowledge Hub project proposed by France & Italy.  See the UfM website (Cooperation in the water sector).

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IN BRIEF (Full news)
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2- The countries of the Union for the Mediterranean (UPM) will meet on 7 and 8 November 2011 in Strasbourg on the theme of urban development and sustainable development, said the president of the Regional Council of Alsace, Philippe Richert. Further information on EMWIS website.

3- The European Investment Bank strongly supports the aspirations of the Arab Spring and the need for sustainable and inclusive growth highlighted by G8 leaders at the Deauville summit in France. In line with the G8 call for frontloaded support, the EIB expects to sign a EUR 300 million loan with Tunisia in July. As the bank of the European Union, the EIB will contribute to implementation of the “Deauville Partnership” in the framework of the new EU Neighbourhood policy launched this week by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Commissioner Stefan Füle. The EIB will support EU policies in building the Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity in the Southern Mediterranean, with particular focus on financing investments aimed at job creation, private sector development including support for SMEs, infrastructure and climate action. The EIB through the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) is the largest investor in the region. Subject to agreement of the EU’s budgetary authorities it aims to provide up to EUR 6 billion (USD 7.6 billion) of finance to the region by 2013. Prospects for the wider region are due to reviewed in July in Brussels at the annual meeting of finance ministers from the EU and FEMIP partner countries. Further information on EMWIS website.

4- In the framework of the 6th World Water Forum (March 2012), co-organised by the French Government, the City of Marseilles and the World Water Council, Greater Lyon and the Rhone-Mediterranean and Corsica Water Agency hosted on the 30th and 31st of May 2011 the International Kick-Off meeting for the 6th World Water Forum Local and Regional Authorities’ political process. The main objective of this process is to mobilize local and regional authorities in order to act together and to discuss ways to strengthen their role in water and sanitation governance and to strengthen their voice in the global political debate on water. Further information on EMWIS website.

5- Within the framework of the preparation of the First Mediterranean Water Forum, the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM), the Region of Murcia and the Foundation Euro-Mediterranean Water Institute (IEA) collaborated with the Mediterranean Water Institute (IME) to organise a launching seminar in Murcia, Spain. Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso shared the conclusions he put forward as rapporteur in the report on local water management adopted last January by the ARLEM's plenary session. The report suggested amongst others the creation of consultative committees involving all parties concerned. Furthermore, it stressed the importance of multilevel governance and suggested launching a local water management pilot project and drafting a financing map to give a comprehensive overview of financing opportunities and synergies between different schemes and institutions. The First Mediterranean Water Forum will be held in December 2011 in Marrakesh, on the road to the Word Water Forum of 2012 in a country of the South of the Mediterranean. A Steering Committee for the Mediterranean Water Forum has been set up and charged with the preparation and organisation of the Forum with a view to echo the voices of the regional and local authorities in the Water Word Forum, scheduled in Marseilles in 2012. The themes discussed will take into account the specificities of the Mediterranean region, and thematic working groups will meet outside the Steering committee to elaborate proposals around targeted themes such as water governance, demand management, the re-use of waste water and desalination. Further information on EMWIS website.

6- The Cross Border Cooperation Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme is organising a series of events to support the launch of the €62.4 million call for strategic projects it has recently launched. A press release announced four events: in Valencia (18 May), Tunis (1 June), Nicosia (3 June) and Beirut (6 June), aim to present the main rules of the call, the Application Pack and Terms of Reference of the 6 strategic topics. In addition, two partner search forums organized in Valencia and Nicosia offer the opportunity to interested actors from both shores of the Mediterranean area to meet and share project ideas. Further information on EMWIS website.

7- The Arab Water Ministerial Meeting in Cairo approved recently a draft of the unified Arab water strategy that is to be adopted by Arab countries in the near future. “The strategy will cover the period until 2030 and will be reviewed every five years,” said Mohamed al Tweigri, assistant Arab League secretary for economic affairs. Further information on EMWIS website.

8- Degremont, the water treatment industry group Suez Environnement, has won a contract worth a cumulative total of 100ME to operate the treatment plant Haliotis Nice for 10 years. Built and operated since 1988 by Degremont, the plant, located on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, with a capacity of 220,000m3/day now serves 650,000 inhabitants. To improve management of rainfall events and continuously maintain the quality of bathing water, a team will be exclusively dedicated to tracking satellites basins located on the seafront and storm basins. Further information on EMWIS website.

9- Lyonnaise des Eaux and Terrena associate, Friday, May 27, 2011 in a partnership to jointly find solutions to current issues affecting agriculture.  55million hectares of land aremarked out by French agriculture. The stakes are high: the groundwater depletion and scarcity of natural resources make this partnership at the heart of the current 2011. The two companies will provide their know-how "regarding hydrology, water management and environment to develop new offers to all the actors in France," saysTerrena in a statement. Further information on EMWIS website.

10- Drought is biting crops in France, the European Union’s top grain grower, a worry which has helped to fuel a rally in global wheat prices despite a commodity sell-off sparked by economic doubts. The French environment minister has said France is in “a situation of crisis” and has imposed curbs on water consumption in a third of the country’s administrative departments. France is by far the EU’s largest wheat grower and exporter, and the Ile-de-France region surrounding Paris is among the country’s top 10 wheat providers. Over 85% of the wheat crop has already suffered from a lack of water, including northern France’s grain belt, according to grains technical institute Arvalis. The hot and dry weather has advanced plant development to levels normally expected in summer; with more sun and heat to come, farmers can only wait and see the extent of the damage.  Parts of central Europe had under 40% of their long-term average rainfall between February and April. The current drought in much of Europe looks set to continue with little relief until June at the earliest, forecasters say. Drought damage in France combined with weather worries in other regions in Europe and the United States have made prices soar in the past weeks with a steep rise since early May. EU new crop wheat futures have gained 34% since mid-March (22% over the past two weeks alone). Further information on EMWIS website.

11- Spain's Cadagua has been given a letter of intent for award of a 75,800 m³/d desalination plant in the Jorf Lasfar industrial complex in Morocco, 100km south of Casablanca. The € 60 million contract from Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP) includes the design, manufacture, supply, construction, installation, testing and commissioning of the reverse-osmosis desalination plant. Pretreatment will feature dissolved air flotation and ultrafiltration. The project also includes two future expansions planned by OCP in order to reach in the medium term a final capacity of 222,200 m³/d. It is Cadagua's first project in Morocco and its third in North Africa, following Jerba and Zarzis in Tunisia. Further information on EMWIS website.

12- Participants from all over Morocco took part in a three-day training course on wastewater treatment and reuse, organized by the EU-funded initiative Horizon 2020 with the aim of engaging experienced professionals in a wider effort with the aim of promoting an integrated approach of drinking water consumption, wastewater management and related technologies. The course involved extensive hands-on training through the use of advanced software aimed to facilitate technology selection in wastewater management. Participants also took part in group exercises and discussions, which achieved a fruitful exchange of experiences. All 34 participants were experienced wastewater managers and decision-makers, mainly sourced from the central government and local authorities, water and sewage associations and relevant university staff.  Further information on EMWIS website.

13- The National Agency for Energy Control (NAEC) of Tunisia which is currently funding several projects, wants to strengthen its strategy, as indicated by its CEO Ms. Noura Laroussi. The approach is to implement the State policy in the field of control of energy and alternative energy. His studies play a vital role as they facilitate the making government's decision through the production of statistics and key indicators. NAEC intends to strengthen its presence in all areas having antennas Electrification and plans to continue the Solar Tunisian program (PST) to achieve the energy efficiency objectives. Despite the unstable political climate, several projects have been launched concerning the manufacture and photovoltaic panels, the development of an eco-village Djerba-Zarzis and a program devoted to pumping water through solar energy. Further information on EMWIS website.

14- Rumours that the huge underground pipes of the Great Man-Made River Project (GMRP) are hiding Libyan tanks and missiles, have re-emerged during the current conflict. Back in in 1997, the New YorK Times reported that the US$ 33 billion project, which provides 6.5 million cubic metres a day to the cities of Tripoli, Benghazi, Sirt and elsewhere, “has some clandestine military purpose”. Now, in April 2011, the Guardian newspaper reported that the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is hiding his armour from NATO air strikes in the irrigation tunnels of the GMRP. Earlier, the Libyan government warned that the NATO-led air strikes could cause a “human and environmental disaster” if they damaged the GMRP. Engineer and project manager Abdelmajid Gahoud said that three pipelines, one for gas, one for oil and another for water, run underground parallel to the 400-kilometre-long road from the eastern city of Benghazi to Sirte, through an area where there had been many coalition air raids. “If part of the infrastructure is damaged, the whole thing is affected and the massive escape of water could cause a catastrophe,” he added, leaving 4.5 million thirsty Libyans deprived of drinking water. One conspiracy theory that is proving popular on Internet forums is that the war in Libya is all about water and not oil. Further information on  EMWIS website.
 
15- Through technical assistance supported by the European Commission in the framework of MED EUWI, the Lebanese Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW) aims to put in place a decision support system to examine alternative water development and management strategies to support IWRM Planning. The selected decision support system “Water Evaluation and Planning System (WEAP)”, allows building scenarios on current water accounts and exploring the impact of alternative assumptions or policies on future water availability and use. The scenarios are evaluated with regard to water sufficiency, costs and benefits, compatibility with environmental targets and sensitivity to uncertainty in key variables. The availability of sufficient data is one of the preconditions for IWRM planning and the basis for the functioning of the WEAP system. To this purpose, MEW will collect available data from the relevant Lebanese institutions and these will be then incorporated in and processed through WEAP. Further information on EMWIS website.

16-The Syrian Ministry of housing and construction has recently announced that it will commit about 2 billion dollars in order to implement a project on waste water treatment systems, over the next five years. The project aims to build new waste water treatment plants in the upcoming years in the view of bringing 323 additional treatment plants by 2015. Most of the treatment plants will be located in the governorates of Rural Damascus, Homs and Latakia. The Ministry will also hold a call for tenders in order to select the contractors of the future plants. Further information on EMWIS website.

17- Palestinian Minister Shaddad Attili, Head of the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) met in his office recently with Dr. Rafiq Al Husseini, Deputy Secretariat General of the Union for the Mediterranean’s Water and Environment Division. During the meeting they discussed the projects that would either be presented or supported by the PWA within the regional projects financed by the Union for the Mediterranean. They also discussed means of financing projects in light of the absence of the ratification of the Union for the Mediterranean’s water strategy. The Palestinian National Authority had previously submitted a strategic project; a desalination project in the Gaza Strip to the Union for the Mediterranean for approval. This project would require more than $300 million to complete. The PNA is striving to make this project a regional one in partnership with Egypt. Discussions are ongoing between both countries to achieve this. Further information on EMWIS website.

18- The “Thirsting for Justice” campaign kicked off on 22 March 2011, World Water Day, calling on European governments to put pressure on Israel to respect international law and Palestinian basic rights to water and sanitation. The campaign is an initiative of the Emergency Water Sanitation and Hygiene group (EWASH), a coalition of 30 Palestinian and European humanitarian organisations, including Oxfam International. According to EWASH, Israel controls all sources of fresh water in the West Bank whereas Palestinians are only allowed to take 20 per cent of the “estimated potential” of the Mountain Aquifer underneath the West Bank. Also, Israeli security restrictions are preventing Palestinians from expanding their sewage network, which now only connects 31 per cent of the population. Some 90 to 95 percent of the Coastal Aquifer, on which Gaza inhabitants are dependent for water, is contaminated due to over extraction and sewage contamination. Restrictions imposed by Israel as part of its ongoing blockade make the rehabilitation of the aquifer and the search for alternatives extremely difficult, EWASH claims. The “Thirsting for Justice” campaign runs until the end of 2012. Further information on EMWIS website.

19- With only 90 litres of water available for use per capita a day, Jordan is reportedly one of the world’s 10 poorest countries when it comes to water resources. Almost half of the country’s population of 6 million resides currently in and around the capital, Amman, which has witnessed several major immigration waves since the 1960s, adding on a 2.5 per cent growth rate’s pressure on its resources and infrastructure. Speaking to the Stockholm Water Front on a dry Amman winter day, Jordanian Minister of Water and Irrigation Mohammad al Najjar explained that demographic changes continue to decrease water shares per person. Consequent governments since the 1980s have been working on the terms of pumping water from the Disi groundwater basin across the border with Saudi Arabia in the far south of the country. The project seems to be going on full speed, after two decades of sketch designing, performing feasibility studies, and long halts caused by corruption investigations, stagnant negotiations with Saudi Arabia, alleged radium pollution, and the hard resistance of landowning tribes who have exploited its waters “illegally.” Once operational, the project will provide the capital with 100 million cubic metres of drinking water per year for about 100 years, before it is depleted. Further information on EMWIS website.

20- Water reuse was near the top of a long list of issues for discussion when Israel's minister of industry, trade and labor, Shalom Simhon, signed a technical cooperation agreement on 16 May 2011 with Sabesp, the water utility for the state of Sao Paolo, Brazil. Also attending the meeting at the state's Department of Drainage & Water Resources were the department secretary Giriboni Edson, the chief executive of Sabesp, Dilma Pena, and two other water companies. Sabesp has had an agreement since November 2009 with Mekorot, Israel's national water company, for technology exchange and cooperation in the areas of water reuse, loss reduction and quality. Further information on EMWIS website.

21- The Israelian Mekorot inaugurated Friday, May 20, 2011, in the presence of National Infrastructure Minister, Uzi Landau, a new desalination plant that will produce 20,200 m3 of water per day or 7.4 million m3 per year. This factory built by the national water company, Mekorot, is part of a project with two desalination plants, for treating saline water from the groundwater near the coastal city of Ashkelon. The construction of two plants required an investment of half a billion shekels (101 million €), they produce a total of 17 million m3 of water per year. The construction of the second plant will be finished in 2012. Further information on EMWIS website.

22- The European Investment Bank, the EU’s long-term financing institution, today announces the signing of a EUR 142 million finance contract relating to the design and construction of a seawater desalination plant using reverse osmosis technology in Sorek, Israel. The contract signed with the company Sorek Desalination Ltd will serve to substantially increase the availability of water resources in a water-scarce region through the construction of a plant with a production capacity of 150 million m3 per year, so enhancing the sustainability of Israel’s water sector. The expansion of desalination technology will have a direct impact on people’s daily lives: the blending of desalinated water with fresh potable water from the national water carrier system will improve the quality of water delivered to consumers by reducing hardness and concentrations of salts, nitrates and boron. It will ultimately result in markedly reduced water abstraction and thus the prevention of saline water intrusion into aquifers. The financing of this project forms part of the EIB’s support for improving wastewater treatment facilities and drinking water supply in the regions. In Israel, in 2007 and 2009 the Bank supported the construction and extension of the Hadera desalination plant with loans totalling EUR 130 million.  Further information on EMWIS website.

23- New Israeli plan calls for an investment of Euro 10.47 billion in the coming decade to develop water production and supply systems to deal with the dwindling precipitation and the rise in the salinity of the groundwater which considerably exceeds previous estimates, according to a master plan for water now being finalized. The master plan, drafted by a Water Authority task force with the help of environmental organizations, was submitted this week to the National Planning and Building Council. About 80 percent of this development will be financed by water prices; the state will provide the rest. But the rise in water prices will not need to be significant, as the number of consumers will rise, due to population increases. Israel’s water consumption per capita has declined sharply, from more than 110 cubic meters annually in the past to 90 cubic meters today, mainly due to water-saving campaigns and the rise in water prices, the task force said. Environmental organizations object to this conclusion, saying that water saving must be consistently encouraged. This could obviate the need for some desalination facilities, which, in addition to high costs, have negative environmental effects, such as energy consumption and occupying large areas of the coastal region. But in any case, the master plan’s implementation faces significant stumbling blocks. One of these is the absence of a government body in charge of policy on issues like population growth and dispersal. The Water Authority also lacks the clout to ensure that enough desalination plants are built, and it is severely short of professional personnel. Further information on EMWIS website.

24- Sustainable food production remains a pressing challenge, so scientists have been assessing the potential of the future Sentinel-1 mission to deliver new methods of monitoring crops grown around the world from space. Sentinel-1, expected to be launched in 2013, is one of the five missions that ESA is developing for Europe's Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme. While the design of the Sentinel-1 mission is primarily based on marine applications such as ship detection and sea-ice mapping, there is increasing interest in using it for land applications.To this end, ESA carried out the major international AgriSAR field campaign in 2009 as part of the mission's preparatory activities.  After two years of analysis by different groups of scientists, the results of the campaign show that agricultural applications could benefit greatly from Sentinel-1's all-weather images. Further information on EMWIS website.

25- GWP Hungary and GWP Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) organized a knowledge-sharing workshop on “Water Resources Management Aspects of European Union Strategies for Baltic Sea and Danube Basin Regions” on April 5, 2011 in Budapest, Hungary. The focus was on sharing experiences and expertise from the implementation of the Baltic Sea Strategy. During the workshop, experts identified similarities and differences concerning water management issues and discussed implementation mechanisms and institutional roles such as selection of projects and partnerships in the Danube Region. The Baltic Sea Strategy was formally adopted in October 2009. In December 2010, the European Commission adopted the EU Strategy for the Danube Region following a request from member states. Further information on EMWIS website.

26- Nuclear desalination uses the excess heat from a nuclear power plant to evaporate sea water and to condense the pure water. Writing in the appropriately named International Journal of Nuclear Desalination, a team from India and Italy argue that despite public concerns, the low energy costs and convenience of this latter process make it the preferred option. Marco Rognoni of Saline Water Specialists, in Gallarate, Italy working with colleagues M.P. Ramaswamy and J. Justin Robert Paden in Tiruchirappalli, India, have calculated the cost balance and demonstrated that the benefits of nuclear evaporative desalination outweigh conventional reverse osmosis. Further information on EMWIS website

27- More so than any other region, countries in the Middle East rely heavily on technology to guarantee their water supply. Elisabeth Fischer profiles some innovative large and small-scale projects in Abu Dhabi and Yemen designed to overcome the severe water problems in the region in water-technology.net (28 March 2011). The Water Security Risk Index, released by the British risk consultants Maplecroft, at the World Water Day 2011 on 22 March, found that 18 countries around the world are at ‘extreme risk’ of danger to their water security. Of these countries 15 are in the Middle East.  Several key oil exporters such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Libya and Algeria are worst off, according to the study, and the insecurities surrounding the water supply contribute to heighten political risks in an already volatile region and may even lead to higher oil prices in the future. Further information on EMWIS website

28- Strauss aims merely to separate the waters from their yucky impurities. On May 18th in Shanghai Israel’s second-largest food and drinks firm will launch a high-tech purifier that not only filters water but also heats it to exactly the right temperature for making tea. Strauss has forged a joint venture with China’s Haier Group, the world’s biggest maker of white goods, to distribute it. Israel wants to become the Silicon Valley of water technology. The conditions are ripe: the country has plenty of scientists, an entrepreneurial culture and a desperate shortage of fresh water. Netafim, one of the world’s biggest “blue-tech” firms, got its start on a kibbutz in the Negev desert. Intrigued by an unusually large tree, an agronomist discovered that a cracked pipe fed droplets directly to its roots. After much experimentation the firm was founded in 1965 to sell what has become known as drip irrigation. Today it boasts annual sales of over $600m and a global workforce of 2,800. In 2006 the Israeli government launched a programme to support water companies, for instance by helping them to market their products abroad. It also created (and later privatised) Kinrot Ventures, the world’s only start-up incubator specialising in water technologies. Further information on EMWIS website.

29- The argument in favor of a stock market of the water comes from Peter Brabeck, chairman of Nestlé. His group is considering such a project with the government of the Canadian province of Alberta. Competition is likely to be particularly strong among farmers and oil companies. The gas and oil shales have not finished talking to them. They may be behind a cash prize of water in Alberta. Indeed, oil companies use for oil sands water quantities much greater than for other types of oil deposits. But farmers need water for their crops. Never mind: Nestle thinks with the government of Alberta to a grant from water to give a prize to the rarity. Alberta has already made a first step in distinguishing between land rights and water rights, so that owning land does not automatically entitled to the water flowing. Peter Brabeck also cites the example of Oman which has a system of water trading dating back thousands of years. He notes that the surge in oil prices, which topped the $ 127 in April Brent crude, could drive down demand. Further information on EMWIS website.

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NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
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30- Moroccan diplomat Youssef Amrani has been appointed as the new Secretary General of the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), a position vacant since the resignation in January of Jordanian Ahmed Massa'deh. A press release said the decision was made by consensus in line with the statutes of the institution. Mr. Amrani is expected to take office on 1 July 2011.  Mr. Amrani was born in 1953 in the Moroccan city of Tangier. He is the current Secretary General of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. In his diplomatic career, he has been Consul in Barcelona from 1992 until 1996 and Ambassador to Colombia, Chile and Mexico. The new Secretary General of the UfM Secretariat has participated actively in the creation of the Arab Maghreb Union. Further information on EMWIS website.

31- Turkey: Mr. İsmail UĞUR nominated new General Director of State Hydraulic Works (DSI). Further information on EMWIS website.

32- Tunisia: The Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment announced recently several appointments. Among others, Mr. Abdulaziz Belhaj, was nominated Secretary General of the Ministry. Further information on EMWIS website.

33- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Kenya's Amina Mohamed, as assistant secretary-general and deputy executive director of the UN Environment Program (UNEP). From 2000 to 2006, Mohamed was the ambassador and permanent representative of Kenya to the UN in Geneva. Further information on EMWIS website.

34- The Government of Morocco and the World Water Council are launching the call for candidatures for the 4th edition of the King Hassan II Great World Water Prize.  With the full nomination file, candidates should provide the completed application form, which can be found on the WWC website, and return all materials no later than 31 August 2011. The winner will be invited to the Prize ceremony in Marseille at the opening of the 6th World Water Forum. He or she will receive a sum of US$100,000, accompanied by a trophy and a certificate. Detailed information is available from the World Water Council website, where you can download the brochure and nomination form.  Further information on EMWIS website.

35- USAID supports MENA Network of Water Centers of Excellence with US$ 1.5 million grant programme: Seventeen water centers from 10 countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) came together in February-March 2011 to create the MENA Network of Water Centers of Excellence (MENA NWC).  The network aims to link technical institutions across the Middle East and North Africa with each other, with counterpart institutions in the United States and elsewhere, with governments, and with the private sector to solve the critical water problems confronting the region. On 8 May 2011, USAID Egypt launched the US$ 1.5 million MENA Water Grants Program. The focus is on training, applied research and the dissemination of information to transform water policy, management and capabilities within the MENA region. The grants are available for activities lasting 12-24 months up to a maximum of US$ 500,000 per year. The deadline for applications is 15 June 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

36- The International WaterCentre (IWC) invites applications for the 2012 Water Leader Scholarships. The program is aimed at awarding scholarships to outstanding candidates who have a clear vision and demonstrate the potential of becoming the water leaders of tomorrow. The successful candidates are accepted into the IWC Master of Integrated Water Management (MIWM) being offered at The University of Queensland (UQ), Brisbane. Further information on EMWIS website.

37- The World Resources Institute (WRI) is seeking a Director to lead its Aqueduct project, which is a high-profile initiative to develop a publicly available, online global database of local-level water risks related to scarcity, pollution, regulatory pressure, governance, and socio-economic dynamics. The position is located at WRI’s headquarters in Washington DC and reports to the Director of the Markets and Enterprise Program. Further information on EMWIS website.

38- The UN World Water Assessment Programme is accepting applications for Administrative Assistant until 13 June 2011. Please see the terms of reference for a description of the position and details on how to apply. Further information on EMWIS website.

39- LIFE water project wins “Neptun” award The LIFE+ project, "Living space in the estuary stretch of the river Traisen" (LIFE07/NAT/A/000012) was the winner of the Grand Prize at this year’s Neptun Water Awards. This years Grand Prize winner is carrying out important conservation work on the River Traisen, one of the largest Danube tributar­ies in Lower Austria. Accepting the Grand Prize award, Helmut Wimmer, the LIFE+ project manager, indicated that the €3 000 prize money was being donated to the local association of "Rettet das Kind" (Save the Child). Further information on EMWIS website.

40- Nestlé Prize for outstanding project in the area of water, nutrition or rural development; Deadline: 30 June 2011 The Nestlé Prize in Creating Shared Value honors a project or innovation implemented by an NGO, individual or small business. The deadline to submit nominations is 30 June 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

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PUBLICATIONS
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41- The Future of Water: A Startling Look Ahead (Cat. No. 20692) is the reader’s time machine, with an examination of the trends and conditions that will have a significant impact on the twin challenges of water quantity and water quality around the world.  In The Future of Water, the authors present possible and even probable scenarios for population, economic growth, energy, climate and pollution as they affect water.  Further information on EMWIS website

42- The Training Manual on Water Integrity has been developed in partnership between the UNDP Water Governance Facility at SIWI (WGF), Cap-Net, WaterNet and Water Integrity Network (WIN). This training manual deals with the issue of integrity and anti-corruption in the water sector – one of the least addressed areas in the governance of water resources and services. It has been developed to assist in building institutional capacity, with water managers and other water decision-makers as the primary target group. It is free to download and use. Further information on EMWIS website.

43- The conference "Handshake across the Jordan: Water and Understanding" held in Pella, Jordan (26.09.2010 - 28.09.2010) aimed at providing an opportunity for professionals in the water sector, agriculturists, politicians, stakeholders and others to exchange their ideas, research results and concerns on the water situation in the Middle East. Further information on EMWIS website.

44- WSSCC has published its Annual Report for 2010 in both English and French. The report gives a concise recap of WSSCC's activities, accomplishments and impact in 2010. Further information on EMWIS website.

45- Until recently, financing was not a priority for most water professionals and officials. It was rare for events on water management to consider finance. The GWP message has been clear: finance and good water governance are inextricably linked. Further information on EMWIS website.

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CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
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46- ENPI-MED CBC: call for strategic projects launched: The Joint Management Authority launched the call for proposal on strategic projects for Cross-Boarder Cooperation in the Mediterranean on 5 May 2011.These Projects will involve a minimum of four partners representing four different countries, of which at least one EU Mediterranean Country and one Mediterranean Partner Country. Their budget range from a minimum of € 2 million up to a maximum of € 5 million. Budget announced for this call about € 62,4 million. Priority 1 (€ 37,44 million)/Agro-food industry/Sustainable tourism/Integrated coastal zone management. Priority 2 (€ 24,96 million)/Water management/Waste treatment and recycling/ Solar energy. The Terms of Reference of each topic and main rules are detailed in the text of the call and in the Guidelines for Applicants. The call for strategic projects is a two-stage procedure: 1. In a first instance Applicants shall submit a Concept Note; 2. Only the projects preselected following the evaluation of the Concept Notes will be invited to submit a Full Application Form. The deadline for sending the Concept Notes is set on 14th July 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

47- Call for demonstration projects Sustainable Water Integrated Management in the Mediterranean: Open Call for Proposals (EuropeAid/131046/C/ACT/Multi) in the framework for the European Neighbourhood and Partnership (ENP) financial co-operation with Mediterranean countries. The demonstration projects will address sustainable integrated water management and de-pollution of the Mediterranean, within the areas of intervention set in the draft Strategy for Water in the Mediterranean and the Horizon 2020 Initiative, with a total budget of EUR 15.000.000. Deadline for submission of proposals: 14 June 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

48- 9.1 million Euros call for strategic projects under CBC Italy-Tunisia: The EU-funded CBC Italy-Tunisia programme has officially launched a call for strategic projects for a budget of €9.1 million. This call will focus on two priorities: development and regional integration, and the promotion of sustainable development. Applicants should submit a Concept Note by 25 July 2011. Only projects shortlisted after evaluation of the Concept Notes will be invited to submit a full Application Form. Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) reinforces cooperation between regions of EU Member States and Partner Countries on EU's external borders. EU financing for the Italy-Tunisia CBC programme is of €25.1 million for the period 2007-2013. Further information on EMWIS website.

49- The 2011 LIFE+ Call for Proposals was published by the European Commission on 26 February 2010. The fifth LIFE+ call for proposals was published on 26 February 2011, with up to €267 million available for co-financing of projects under three headings: nature and biodiversity; environment policy and governance; and information and communication. Project proposals should be sent to the relevant national authority no later than 18 July, 2011. National authorities will then send them to the European Commission by 9 September, 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

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CALL FOR PAPERS
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50- Call for papers Young Scientist Workshop, International Water Week, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 31 October - 4 November. The topic of the Workshop concerns the challenges of providing water systems in urbanizing areas, a cross-cutting topic covering water management, water supply, sanitation and spatial planning. Before the workshop you are asked to prepare a scientific paper and/or case study addressing a specific water problem integral to the growth of cities under the stress of climate change. After review the selected papers will be published in the IWW-YSW proceedings. Further information on EMWIS website.

51- Call for abstracts for BALWOIS 2012: Firth International Conference BALWOIS 2012 on Water, Climate and Environment The Fifth International Scientific Conference BALWOIS 2012 will be held in Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia from 28th May to 2nd June 2012.The purpose of the conference is to provide a solutions-based forum and to exchange information regarding research activities and plans for studying the relationship between climate and environment changes and human activities with specific focuse on water related matters. The topics of 5th BALWOIS 2012 International Conference on which abstracts and papers are submitted are : Topic 1 : Climate and Hydrology; Topic 2 : Water, Environment and Human Activities; Topic 3 : Water Related Risks; Topic 4 : Integrated Water Resources Management; Topic 5 : Ecohydrology; Topic 6 : Computing and Technologies in Water sector; Others. Deadline for submitting an abstract is 31st of October 2011. Further information on EMWIS website

52- Call for papers for the Conference and Exhibition on "Desalination and the Environment": Clear water & energy. Water and energy are the issues of this millenium. This conference will take place in Barcelona (Spain) in 23-26 April 2012. Further information on EMWIS website

53- Invitation, information notice and call for contributions to the workshop on equitable access to water and sanitation, Geneva, 4-5- July 2011, in the framework of the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health. The workshop is part of the process for the development of a Document on “Good Practices on Equitable Access to Water and Sanitation” prepared under the Protocol on Water and Health for the Sixth World Water Forum (Marseille, March 2012). It is organized under the leadership of the Government of France and in cooperation with the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation. Further information on EMWIS website. 

54- The Center on Law and Environment (PDMA) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) are co-hosting a Research Award for Young Scholars, which will take place at the XIV World Water Congress, from 25-29 September, 2011 in Porto de Galinhas, Brazil. Interested scholars must submit papers before, June 27, 2011. The best 4 papers selected by a committee of specialists in the field will be granted an award of approximately USD 2,000.00. Authors (one per paper) will be invited and fully funded to participate and to present at the IWRA Congress. The awardees will be announced on 1 August 2011.  Further information on EMWIS website.

55- ESOF2012 - Call for Scientific Proposals: The interdisciplinary, pan-European EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF2012) has opened a call for session proposals. Proposals are welcome in a wide range of scientific fields. ESOF2012 will take place in Dublin from 11 to 15 July 2012.  The deadline for submissions is: 30 June 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

56- Call for papers for TIAC’12 - IV International Conference on Technology Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers / III International Symposium on Coastal Aquifers and Desalination Plants: Deadline for receipt of summary: October 31, 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

57- Call for abstracts for the 2nd International Symposium on the Management and Preservation of Water Resources (CIGPRE 2) to be held in Meknes (Morocco) in the period [04/27/2012 to 04/29/2012]. The deadline for submissions is: 31 October 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

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TRAINING
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58- Training courses in connection with world water week in Stockholm, August 2011: The global water crisis is a crisis of poor governance and management of water. Vital for good water governance is a well-trained group of people working in various sectors related to water management. In response to this need Cap-Net/UNDP and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) plan to offer training events in connection with the World Water Week (WWW) in Stockholm in August 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

59-Sharing experience to achieve sustainable waste management in the Mediterranean: Eleven Mediterranean countries came together to share and learn from each others’ experiences in the field of Integrated Sustainable Waste Management (ISWM) during a capacity building course held by the EU-funded Horizon 2020 initiative in Larnaca, Cyprus. A press release said the two-day training, held on 11 and 12 May, acted as a platform for “learning through teaching and sharing” for its 18 participants, to consolidate their know-how, present their own challenges and experiences, and be informed of other good practices and applications of ISWM in the region.  Further information on EMWIS website.

60- International Training of Trainers on Wetland Management, a course focusing on the facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes and curriculum development (ICWM-TOT) The Netherlands, June 20 - 8 July, 2011. The ICWM-TOT aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary for curriculum development in the field of wetland management in their own region. The course will focus on the multi-stakeholder processes that play an important role in wetland management and the need for transboundary and cross-sectoral co-operation to manage the natural resources of a river basin and its wetlands. The MENA Scholarship Programme aims to contribute to capacity building within organizations and institutions in six selected countries: Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman and Syria. Further information on EMWIS website.

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EVENTS (Full Agenda)
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[30/06/2011 - 30/06/2011] Use of treated wastewater for irrigation, Paris, France.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[29/06/2011 - 01/07/2011] Cannes Water Symposium 2011, Cannes, France.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[29/06/2011 - 02/07/2011] VI International Symposium: Water Engineering and Management in a Changing Environment, Catania, Italy.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[29/06/2011 - 30/06/2011] CSFD Seminar-2011 on policy research programs and fight projects, Montpellier, France.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[29/06/2011 - 02/07/2011] EAERE 18th Annual Conference, Rome, Italy.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[27/06/2011] CIWEM training: Building a Sustainable Business, Staffordshire University, UK.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[27/06/2011] Implementing an Environmental Management System, Staffordshire University, UK.
Further information on EMWIS website

[27/06/2011] CIWEM training: Calculations, Staffordshire University, UK.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[27/06/2011] Training on Constructed Wetlands (8 Hour), Staffordshire University, UK.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[27/06/2011 - 01/07/2011] The 5th INSPIRE Conference 2011, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[21/06/2011 - 24/06/2011] 4th National Conference of Urban Hydraulics, Venice, Italy.
Further information on EMWIS website

[21/06/2011 - 23/06/2011] The 6th International Conference: "International Days ofGeosciences of the Environment" (JIGE): "Environment andsustainable development. ", Oujda, Morocco.
Further information on EMWIS website

[20/06/2011 - 22/06/2011] International Conference on International conference on "Integrated water resource management in the Mediterranean: Dialogue towards new strategy" - Melia project, Agadir, Morocco.
Further information on EMWIS website

[20/06/2011 - 24/06/2011] Three EDS desalination courses, Genoa, Italy.
Further information on EMWIS website

[20/06/2011 - 08/07/2011] The International Training of Trainers on Wetland Management, Wageningen, Netherlands.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[20/06/2011 - 24/06/2011] National Water Law Symposium, Dundee, Scotland.
Further information on EMWIS website

[20/06/2011 - 23/06/2011] The World Justice Forum III (The Rule of Law, the environment, and public health), Barcelona, Spain.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[19/06/2011 - 21/06/2011] 2nd International Exergy LCA and Sustainability Workshop and Symposium, Nysiros, Greece.
Further information on EMWIS website

[19/06/2011 - 23/06/2011] IASWS 2011: 12th International Symposium on the Interactions between Sediments and Water, Devon, England.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[19/06/2011 - 25/06/2011] The 11th SGEM2011 International GeoConference, Albena Resort, Bulgaria.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[17/06/2011] A common vision for water innovation, Brussels, Belgium.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[17/06/2011] Debate on Sustainable Development Urban Stormwater: towards better quality management, Rousset, France.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[16/06/2011 - 18/06/2011] 14th Annual Conference on Global Economic Analysis "Governing Global Challenges: Climate Change, Trade, Finance and Development", Venice, Italy.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[16/06/2011 - 17/06/2011] International Conference on Sustainable Management of sewage sludge and biowaste, Valencia, Spain.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[16/06/2011 - 19/06/2011] 1st German-Arab Young Scientists Forum, Berlin, Germany.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[16/06/2011 - 17/06/2011] Conference : Rediscovering together Memory of Water in the Mediterranean, Marseille, France.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[15/06/2011] 5th day on the treatment and reuse of water, Blida, Algeria.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[14/06/2011 - 01/07/2011] UNESCO-IHE Training: Applied Groundwater Modelling, Delft, Netherlands.
Further information on EMWIS website.

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PROJECTS (Projects database)
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WATER PROJECTS DATABASE (MEDA-NIPs, MEDA-Water, LIFE, SMAP, INCO-MED, FP4-FP7, INTERREG, etc.)

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