Darat Othman Bdeir, German Jordanian University, in Amman – Jordan on August 28th 2018:
FOREWORD
Water and water resources management is vital to the development of human societies, and it is life threatening in areas where water is at short supply for natural reasons. The Middle East is such an example. This subject was discussed at many occasions between me an urban and regional planner residing in Jordan and my friend Dursun Yıldız, head of the Turkish Hydropolitics Academy, a think-tank of experts on water and its utilization. This round table expert meeting in an example and a debut of a hopefully long cooperation between Jordanian and Turkish experts, that we hope will lead to an intergovernmental and even regional discussions and cooperation to share and manage water resources. Jordan is a middle eastern country which is strived by many challenges. First, it is located at the fringe of the desert with limited water resources unequally distributed over its territory. Second, it is situated in the middle of continuing political struggle resulting in huge numbers of displaced population totaling to 30% of its population of 9.5 million in 2017 estimates. Third, it is poor in energy resources compared to it’s oil rich neighbors. Actually it is severely poor in water resources. But, these limitations have created some virtues which developed over time: It has a stable economy, stable political system and a well-managed state. As a result, 98% of it’s households are serviced with running water which is rationed to once in a week time, but the population has adapted to the situation. This expert round table meeting was especially designed and implemented to discuss what possibilities Jordan would have in terms of improving it’s capacities to manage the water resources available to it, and cater for the needs of a growing population under the challenges created by a global climate change.
Kamal Jalouqa,
Industrial professor, SABE-GJU
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Darat Othman Bdeir, German Jordanian University, in Amman – Jordan on August 28th 2018:
FOREWORD
Water and water resources management is vital to the development of human societies, and it is life threatening in areas where water is at short supply for natural reasons. The Middle East is such an example. This subject was discussed at many occasions between me an urban and regional planner residing in Jordan and my friend Dursun Yıldız, head of the Turkish Hydropolitics Academy, a think-tank of experts on water and its utilization. This round table expert meeting in an example and a debut of a hopefully long cooperation between Jordanian and Turkish experts, that we hope will lead to an intergovernmental and even regional discussions and cooperation to share and manage water resources. Jordan is a middle eastern country which is strived by many challenges. First, it is located at the fringe of the desert with limited water resources unequally distributed over its territory. Second, it is situated in the middle of continuing political struggle resulting in huge numbers of displaced population totaling to 30% of its population of 9.5 million in 2017 estimates. Third, it is poor in energy resources compared to it’s oil rich neighbors. Actually it is severely poor in water resources. But, these limitations have created some virtues which developed over time: It has a stable economy, stable political system and a well-managed state. As a result, 98% of it’s households are serviced with running water which is rationed to once in a week time, but the population has adapted to the situation. This expert round table meeting was especially designed and implemented to discuss what possibilities Jordan would have in terms of improving it’s capacities to manage the water resources available to it, and cater for the needs of a growing population under the challenges created by a global climate change.
Kamal Jalouqa,
Industrial professor, SABE-GJU
^
