In cooperation with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Khatib & Alami C.E.C (K&A) launched a Regional Conference for the Arab Parliaments on 'Capacity Building for Parliaments on the Sustainable Management of Water Resources', hosted by the National Assembly of Lebanon, Beirut, on November 29 and 30, 2005.
The purpose of this event was to put into application the Millennium Development Goals1 (MDG) and to strengthen the capacity and parliamentary participation in the international policy making process, prior to the adoption of international agreements. Also, this conference was to provide the decision makers with the tools and knowledge to draft and implement laws on water management.
The event was inaugurated by the President of the Lebanese National Assembly, Mr. Nabih Berri, who emphasized the need to develop a regional Arab water strategy, update the legal framework and optimize the usage and savings of essential resources. Speakers were also Dr. Marcel Boisard, Executive Director of UNITAR and Assistant to the UN Secretary General, Mr. Martin Chungong, Director of the Division for the Promotion of Democracy of the IPU, and Mr. Noureddine Bouchkouj, Secretary General of the Arab IPU.
Afterwards, Prof. Mounir El Khatib, President of K&A, made a brief presentation focusing on K&A's experience in water management in the Arab world, where it is shown that a higher percentage of people are having access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation, in spite of all the political difficulties in the region. In his word, Prof. Khatib marked that this rate of progress was still un-even with other world countries, thus it is imperative that a global partnership takes place between the rich and developing countries to implement the Millennium Development Goals.
More than fifty parliamentarians participated in the conference, coming from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Sudan., Djibouti, Algeria and Yemen. From K&A, Prof. Mounir El Khatib and Vice President Dr. Zuhair Alami, with directors, regional managers and project managers, were present and active in the conference and its panel discussions. On November 30, K&A hosted a luncheon for the attendees in downtown Beirut.
Concluding the conference, the participants set an action plan that included a number of steps to scale-up the efforts for reaching their goals. They agreed that it is important to re-enforce the governments' commitment to the issue, by working with the related committees, enacting needed legislation and following up on the implementation of the existing legislation. The action plan also included measures to enhance inter-ministerial cooperation, develop national capacities, and spread awareness in the civil society.
1: In its 2000 Millennium Declaration, the United Nations set eight goals for development, called the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These goals set an ambitious agenda for improving the human condition by 2015.
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© Press Release 2006
