The 3rd Convening of the Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention and Human Security: "Improving regional cooperation on water: A Key Opportunity for Preventive Diplomacy"

HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, in his keynote speech today at the opening session of the 'Third Convening of the Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention and Human Security' (Wednesday, November 4 2009), reiterated "that the region must establish a supranational commission for water and energy for the human environment in West Asia and North Africa".

HRH said that the region faces the challenge of "carrying capacity for human, natural and economic resources".  It is one of the principal regions of stateless persons, displaced persons, internally displaced persons, migrants and refugees under different mandates. 

Prince El Hassan outlined what is required to develop a road map for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to reach a new world solidarity concept, so that global commons can meet regional commons.
During the conference, which focused on the theme of improving regional cooperation on water, HRH said that the new global challenge faced by the region is to actively participate in the essence of the next round of discussions regarding the MDGs.

The Prince added that "winning the human race" needs global efforts to address the real issues of population, environment, poverty, terrorism, drugs, women, youth and weapons of mass destruction.

In her address, HRH Princess Sumaya bint Al Hassan, President of El Hassan Science City and the Royal Scientific Society, said that El Hassan Science City via its key institutions (the Royal Scientific Society, Princess Sumaya University for Technology and the Higher Council for Science and Technology) had a major role to play in the development of Jordan and the wider region.

The Princess also pointed out that the RSS monitors and assesses water quality (as an external body) and that the results are reported to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the Ministry of Environment, the Food and Drug Organization, and the Institute of Standards and Metrology. The RSS also takes full account of the resources available and introduces sustainable production and consumption tools such as the life cycle analysis where water is a key component.

“Environmental health and security is a topic that deserves our attention in such a changing world, and there is a major role for preventive diplomacy to play. For me at least, preventive diplomacy is via participation, role play, and sharing responsibilities as well as the benefits,” Princess Sumaya said.

Vice President of the EastWest Institute, Ambassador Günter Overfeld, said that there is a need for preventive policy in the context of water security, and a process of networking to exchange the views of experts and specialists in this area. He added that there is considerable knowledge of water scarcity in the world, but what we need is to consider ways that contribute to addressing this scarcity.

Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, stressed the importance attached by the Parliamentarians Network to the issue of water security, conflict prevention and human security, and called for the development of a cooperative program of water usage to help communities across Palestine and the region.

The event, which was held in Amman, was organized by the EastWest Institute and El Hassan Science City with the support of the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy. A number of international figures attended as well as local Members of Parliament including Senate President Zeid Rifai, Lower House Speaker, Abdul Hadi Majali, Minister of Water and Irrigation, Raed Abu Saud and Minister of Environment, Khaled Irani.