Amman, 30 March 2011 - Under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein, and chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Bin Al-Hussein, with the participation of Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya Bint El Hassan, the sixth IWA Specialist Conference on Efficient Use and Management of Water (Efficient 2011) opened today its five-day meetings at the Kempinski Hotel, Dead Sea.

Convening for the first time in Jordan under the theme 'Water Demand Management: Challenges and Opportunities', the IWA Efficient 2011 Conference is organized by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MWI), the International Water Association (IWA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The Conference aims to shed light on the global water crisis as well as ways of coping with current water challenges, particularly in countries that suffer from water scarcity such as Jordan. It also provides a platform for various participating countries to share their experiences in water demand management and efficient water use, as well as how to tackle drought challenges.

His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Bin Al-Hussein, Chairman of the Conference pointed out, in his keynote address, the significance of selecting Jordan as the venue for the event, and highlighted the importance of water for the livelihood of people, saying the Kingdom's dire water situation came naturally as result of its meager water resources and arid climate.  Prince Faisal said previous civilizations and ancestors that lived in Jordan and in the region were aware of the scarcity of water resources, which inspired them to device innovative water management techniques that contributed to the development and propensity of their societies.  He also stressed on the importance of efficient water use in view of population growth, voicing hope that the Conference would bring about fruitful outcome through the exchange of international expertise and experience in the efficient use and management of water.

In his welcoming speech, Eng. Mohammad Najjar, Minister of Water and Irrigation touched on the water crisis the world currently faces, including Jordan, and reviewed recent agreements signed with world countries to mitigate the water shortage problem.  He said that under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, Jordan is taking steps towards the implementation of vital projects - considered as national priority- including the Red-Dead Canal.

"Water scarcity is one of the biggest challenges facing the world," said Dana Mansouri, USAID Deputy Mission Director in her key note speech, also at the opening of the conference.  She said as a result of population growth, climate change and economic development, water management has become a joint responsibility that must be shared by governments and peoples worldwide.  Mansouri reviewed USAID activities in Jordan since 1951 that focus on sustainable projects in the water sector, pointing out that Jordan must revise its policies on water consumption, water management and related legislation.    The opening session also included key note speeches by Dr. Glen Daigger, IWA President, and Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID Administrator.

The first day's workshop, entitled 'Understanding Change in Consumption Patterns', presented the experience of different participating countries in water demand management, and promoted consistent benchmarking through the use of appropriate parameters and indicators. Moreover, six technical sessions were held, titled 'Country Level Water Policies and Planning', 'Grey Water Reuse', 'Climate Change & Efficiency', 'Policies & Legislation', 'Reuse & Recycling' and 'Water Efficiency in Agriculture'.

The Efficient 2011 Conference is part of a series of conferences organized by the IWA, held regularly every two years since 2001, in various countries. The Conference was last held in Australia.

As a consolidation of international community efforts, Jordan, which is classified as the fourth poorest country in water resources, was selected to host the Conference. The Dead Sea is considered an ideal location for the IWA Efficient 2011, since it is a natural wonder at risk of disappearing due to unsustainable water resource management, climate change, and the overexploitation of the area's water sources for industrial use, all of which have resulted in the Dead Sea's water levels receding by one meter per year.

This highly anticipated water industry event drew over 500 international experts in water demand management and water conservation, representing 30 countries from the Middle East, North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Participants include utility managers, water resource planners and engineers, academics, private consultants, representatives of research institutions, NGOs, contractors, environmentalists, and water sector regulators and policymakers.

Participating in the Conference are official delegations from Palestine, headed by H.E. Minister-Head of Palestinian Water Authority Eng. Shaddad Attili; the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources; the Republic of Latvia; Thailand; and the Philippines, as well as Kuwait and Yemen.

The Efficient 2011 Conference and Exhibition are considered an ideal platform to unify international efforts to confront the current water crisis by benefiting from sustainable management practices and developing effective guidelines for innovative water strategies that manage water resources and meet growing global demand. 

For further information about the Conference program, please visit www.efficient2011.com.

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© Press Release 2011