Regional Policy Guidelines

Transcription

1 Published by Regional Policy Guidelines Mainstreaming the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus into Sectoral Policies and Institutions in the Arab Region

2 PROJECT DOCUMENT Acknowledgment We, the study team, would like to express special gratitude towards the League of Arab States and partner organizations in Egypt and Jordan, the ACCWaM project team, especially Mr. Hammou Laamrani, for their kind co-operation and encouragement which helped us in completion of this study. Imprint Published by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Registered offices Bonn and Eschborn Adaptation to Climate Change in the Water Sector in the MENA Region (ACCWaM) Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH 4D, Gezira St., 16th floor, no Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt T /6 F Authors: A. Carius, A. Kramer Text: GFA Consulting Group GmbH, contracted by giz Design/layout: GFA Consulting Group GmbH Eulenkrugstraße Hamburg, Germany T F E info@gfa-group.de I Photo credits/sources: GFA Consulting Group GmbH URL links: Responsibility for the content of external websites linked in this publication always lies with their respective publishers. GFA/GIZ expressly dissociates itself from such content. GFA is responsible for the content of this publication. The content does not necessarily reflect the opinion of GIZ. Hamburg/Cairo, September 2017

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4 Table of Contents 1 Introduction The Political Importance of LAS Opportunities and Constraints of WEF NEXUS Regional Strategies Sectoral Strategies Related to WEF Nexus Strategy for Water Security in the Arab Region Sustainable Agricultural Development Strategy Arab Strategy for the Development of Renewable Energy Cross-Sectoral Strategies Entry Points and Gaps for WEF-Nexus Mainstreaming Recommendations for Nexus Mainstreaming in Regional Strategies Thematic Recommendations Recommendations to support Implementation of Strategies Relevant Institutional Set-Up Within the League of Arab States Departments and Ministerial Councils LAS Administrative Characteristics and Constraints Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus Coordination Mechanisms for the League of Arab States Institutional Mechanisms Recommended Institutional Set-Up: Formalisation of Institutional Cooperation Among the Technical Secretariats Spearheading Coordination at the Departmental Level Formal Mandating Through Ministerial Councils to Increase Political Strength Processes and Products for Mainstreaming WEF Nexus Approving a Joint Vision Document Monitoring, Reporting and Reviewing of Progress Towards a WEF-Nexus Approach Next Steps and the Way Forward Next Steps for Establishing a LAS WEF-Nexus Coordination Mechanism Accompanying the Implementation Process Sharing of Knowledge and Best Practices Human Resources Development and Enhancing Capacity Promoting Cross-Sectoral Research The Way Forward Further Development of the Institutional LAS Architecture Including WEF Nexus Cross-References in Strategy Implementation Plans References i

5 Annexes: Annex 1: List of Interviewees Annex 2: Institutions and Stakeholder Involved in Strategy Development List of Figures Figure 1: Figure 2: Figure 3: Figure 4: Figure 5: Figure 6: Figure 7: Figure 8: Figure 9: Recommendations for Nexus Mainstreaming in Regional Strategies Institutional Setting for WEF Nexus within the League of Arab States - selected relevant institutions Potential Options for Improved Coordination Towards Nexus Mainstreaming Option a) Department for Environment, Housing, and Water Resources to Take the Lead in Advancing WEF-Nexus Activities Within the League of Arab States Option b) Department of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation to Take the Lead in Advancing WEF-Nexus Activities Within the League of Arab States Option c) Leadership to Advance WEF-Nexus Activities Within LAS Could be Shared by the Technical Secretariats on a Rotational Basis Overview Options for WEF-Nexus Coordination Mechanisms for the League of Arab States Proposed Process to Establish an Institutional Set-Up for the WEF-Nexus Coordination Mechanism for the League of Arab States Next Steps for Establishing a WEF-Nexus Coordination Mechanism for the League of Arab States List of Tables Table 1: Entry Points and Gaps for WEF-Nexus Mainstreaming in Selected Sectoral and Cross-Sectoral Strategies... 8 ii

6 Acronyms ACCWaM ACSAD AMCs AMCE AMF AMWC AOAD CAMRE ECOSOC FAO GW HLPF IRENA JCEDAR LAS NEEAP OAPEC PV REAP RCREEE SDG SD&IC UNDP UNEP UN ESCWA WEF WFP WHO Adaptation to Climate Change in the Water Sector in the MENA Region Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands Arab Ministerial Councils Arab Ministerial Council on Electricity Arab Monetary Fund Arab Ministerial Water Council Arab Organization for Agricultural Development Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs Economic and Social Council of the Arab League Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations gigawatt UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development International Renewable Energy Agency Joint Committee on Environment and Development in the Arab Region League of Arab States National Energy Efficiency Action Plans Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries photovoltaic Renewable Energy Action Plan Regional Centre for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency Sustainable Development Goals Department for Sustainable Development and International Cooperation United Nations Development Programme United Nations Environment Programme United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia Water-Energy-Food Security World Food Programme World Health Organization iii

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8 1 Introduction The Arab region is faced with growing pressures on the environment and natural resources, affecting human securities and eventually political stability. A water-energyfood security (WEF) nexus approach can encourage and support on-going efforts to address these challenges. By fostering coordination and cooperation among the relevant sectors and, eventually, policy coherence, a nexus approach can increase resource efficiency and support decoupling of economic development from use of resources and environmental pressure. Against this background the study Mainstreaming the Water-Energy-Food Security (WEF) Nexus into Policies and Institutions in the MENA Region within the GIZ ACCWaM project aims to identify entry points, processes and partners for WEF-nexus mainstreaming in order to add value to implementation of sectoral strategies and contribute to cross-sectoral policy goals, such as the SDGs and climate change adaptation. One important step in the process of WEF-nexus mainstreaming in Arab regional policies and intuitions is to improve coordination and collaboration across sectoral activities, initiatives, policies and strategies within the League of Arab States (LAS) in order to leverage cross-sectoral synergies and minimize trade-offs. Several bodies within LAS play important roles in setting regional policy goals and developing strategies that are relevant for achieving water, energy and food security. In particular, key departments and organisations are the Arab Ministerial Council for Electricity (AMCE), the Arab Ministerial Water Council (AMWC), and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD). Moreover, other departments within LAS, as well as related organizations, could take supporting roles in the process of strengthening crosssectoral coordination within the League of Arab States and beyond. Identification of institutional set-ups and procedures for mainstreaming the WEF-Nexus approach in regional policies The aim of this policy guide is to suggest institutional set-ups and procedures in support of mainstreaming a WEF-nexus approach in LAS policies, strategies and activities. It is part of a series of studies and policy guides prepared within the assignment Mainstreaming the Water-Energy-Food Security (WEF) Nexus into Policies and Institutions in the MENA Region. The regional policy guiding document at hand identifies current gaps and entry points for nexus mainstreaming at the regional level based on an assessment of relevant existing sectoral and cross-sectoral strategies, as well as existing sectoral and cross-sectoral administrative bodies / mechanisms within LAS. In doing so, it focuses on the most critical nexus issues and interlinkages in the region, as identified in the Evidence Base Report 1 as part of the above study 2. The proposed institutional set-ups and procedures for WEF-nexus mainstreaming have been developed in consultation with a variety of stakeholders from LAS and beyond (see the list of interviewees in the annex). 3 1 Hoff H, Al-Zubari W, Mansour L, Abaza H, Biad M, Al Ouran N, Ulrich A Mainstreaming the Water-Energy- Food Security Nexus into Policies and Institutions in the MENA Region: Nexus Evidence Base. GIZ, GFA. 2 Further output of the study are National Guidelines: Mansour L, Kramer A, Abaza H, Al Ouran N, Al-Zubari W, Carius A, Ulrich A, Hoff H Mainstreaming the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus into Policies and Institutions in the MENA Region: National guidelines on mainstreaming the water-energy-food (WEF) security nexus into policies and institutions in Egypt and Jordan. GIZ, GFA. 3 During two missions to Cairo in October and December 2016 interviews with key experts within LAS and other organizations were conducted. Moreover preliminary results were presented to stakeholders in a validation workshop in Cairo on April 9, 2017.s 1

9 1.1 The Political Importance of LAS Growing political interest in further cohesion among member countries is already evident in a series of soft regional policies pursued in the past years The institutional set-up for mainstreaming WEF nexus in LAS policies and activities can only be assessed against the background of existing political dynamics and the excellence of the institution itself. The League of Arab States (LAS) is a loose confederation of twenty-two Arab nations, including Palestine, whose broad mission is to improve coordination among its members on matters of common interest. LAS represents very diverse member states, from rich gulf economies to relatively poor and fragile countries like Yemen, Mauretania, Somalia and the Comoros. The organization is considered to be politically complex and continues to struggle with its lack of unity, administrative effectiveness and restricted political reach towards its members. Even though collective action is constrained by national sovereignty, cooperation by a subset of countries has gained momentum, over the past years, on a series of soft policies. There is growing political interest in the region to further Arab identity and increase the political influence and power of Arab regional authority, to create new alliances among partners and to seek support from inside the alliance to resolve regional political tensions. Addressing the risk of another regional food crisis and the large-scale energy transitions of some countries demonstrate the need for regional solutions to these problems. The political interest of Europe and the United States in cooperating with LAS countries has increased over the past years, with regard to counter-terrorism, migration and refugee policies, energy transformation, decarbonisation efforts and their interest in support of ambitious climate action. Furthermore, regional cooperative arrangements gain political importance worldwide as faith in multilateralism is decreasing and nationalism is on the rise. LAS is the only regional entity that allows the expression of political will and power with an Arab voice. As regards support of multilateralism, the relative importance of LAS might well increase and any political investment may pay off in the future. To a large extent LAS members share common interests in the transition of their economies and societies. Almost all countries in the region are not food-secure and have experienced the effects of the 2008/09 food crisis. Countries with sufficient agricultural production to provide basic food security lack energy resources for development, and vice versa. The gulf countries, for example, have started to invest heavily in agricultural production in Africa, and Saudi Arabia sets ambitious targets for a post-fuel economy. WEF nexus and efforts to address the challenges of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda have triggered regional cooperative efforts, to be supported by bilateral and multilateral development partners. 1.2 Opportunities and Constraints of WEF NEXUS WEF-Nexus is considered of utmost importance for further conceptual development of comprehensive policy responses to the SDGs Even though peace and security is at the centre of LAS politics, water, energy and food are considered to be the most important sectoral issues in the region, reflecting the prime national interests and challenges for its economies and societies. The food crisis in 2008/2009, current efforts to accelerate use of the vast renewable-energy potential, the need for cross-border cooperation on the management of natural resources and trade in agriculture and energy, increased foreign direct investment in agriculture, awareness of the negative impact of existing subsidy systems and, more recently, the ambitious Paris Climate Agreement have encouraged LAS member states to invest in cross-sectoral strategies and policies. Given the political importance of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, now shaping the global development discourse and determining development finance, the 2

10 commitment by LAS members (Morocco and Egypt as pilot countries for voluntary reviews) and the mandate given to LAS by the LAS Summit, to develop the Arab regional report on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in 2018, WEF nexus is considered to be of utmost importance for the further conceptual development of comprehensive policy responses interpreting the wide scope of the SDGs. However, there are no LAS member states yet advocating explicitly a WEF-nexus perspective based on their own progress and success, particularly demonstrating the economic gains that integrated and more importantly regional approaches might create. There is a particular need to demonstrate, share and promote successful WEF-nexus approaches among members. Framing WEF nexus in economic terms would elevate nexus from a conceptual and analytical tool to a policy program. Defining the role of private-sector engagement is crucial in any cross-sectoral attempt. The economic benefits of such integrated approaches are yet to be demonstrated, as no economic assessment has been carried out, whether on the costs of taking no action as compared to the potential benefits of taking a nexus approach, or on the benefits of regional cooperation on nexus policies as compared to domestic approaches or integrated-versus-single-sector approaches. Harmonization of national policies, strategies and action plans, and promoting regional cooperation could well be facilitated by LAS Existing WEF-Nexus concepts and approaches are primarily domestic and do not sufficiently recognize the regional interdependencies of trade, energy, agricultural and water systems. Harmonization of national policies, strategies and plans of action, and promoting regional cooperation (e.g. fostering food and energy trade) could be possible nexus tasks facilitated by LAS. 2 Regional Strategies The Arab countries, through the respective Arab ministerial councils of the League of Arab States, have developed a number of sectoral and cross-sectoral strategies that can provide a policy framework guiding implementation of a WEF-nexus approach at the regional and national level. For more information on the institutions and stakeholders involved in strategy development see the overview table in Annex Sectoral Strategies Related to WEF Nexus Strategy for Water Security in the Arab Region The Arab Strategy for Water Security in the Arab Region to Meet the Challenges and Future Needs for Sustainable Development was adopted by the Arab Ministerial Water Council (AMWC) of the League of Arab States in Its main goal is to contribute to sustainable development of the Arab region through, for example: the provision of water services for drinking, agriculture and sanitation, including financing and investment; application of the principles of integrated water resources management, and the development of non-conventional water resources; as well as through promoting cooperation among Arab states for the management of shared water resources; human and technical capacity development, the promotion of social and individual awareness of water issues; scientific research, and the promotion of civil society participation in decision-making. The strategy was operationalized in an action plan approved by AMWC in May

11 The water strategy recognises and discusses a number of WEF-nexus interlinkages, with the focus on an integrated approach for water and food security Water Strategy calls for integrated approaches for: increased use of renewable energy in water desalination and treatment, increasing water productivity in agriculture, and the use of non-conventional water sources, such as treated wastewater or brackish water, in agriculture The strategy further calls for mechanisms to coordinate research centres concerned with water resources, agriculture, drinking water, sanitation and energy, (and thus those concerned with the WEF-nexus topics) as a key to tackling water shortages in the region. These strategy topics are further detailed in the strategy action plan the Introduction of the Water, Energy and Food Nexus, a promising solution for a Green Economy in the Arab Region (Action Plan Item E.2.4) Water Strategy action plan foresees: increased use of renewable energy in water desalination and treatment, (Action Plan Item E.2.2) assessment of water-use efficiency indicators (Action Plan Item B.6.1). Nevertheless, the performance indicators included in the strategy do not provide many entry points for a nexus perspective, apart from a suggested indicator for measuring the increase of the economic and social return per unit of water in all uses which could be used to measure water-use efficiency in agricultural food production, as well as in energy generation. Main Institutions and Stakeholders Involved in Strategy Development ACSAD has been entrusted with operative implementation of the Arab Water Strategy development of the respective action plan The Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones Dry Lands (ACSAD) was commissioned by AMWC to draft the water strategy. ACSAD is a specialized organization working within the framework of the League of Arab States with the objective of unifying Arab efforts in scientific agricultural research. During the process of strategy development, ACSAD reviewed and coordinated feedback on the strategy from LAS member states, as well as from a technical committee of experts from Arab States and organizations mandated by the Executive Bureau of the Arab Ministerial Water Council for this purpose. ACSAD was further entrusted with the operative implementation of the Arab Water Strategy and development of a respective action plan Sustainable Agricultural Development Strategy The "Strategy for Sustainable Arab Agricultural Development for the Upcoming Two Decades ( ) was adopted by the ministers of agriculture in the Arab region and approved through a resolution of the Arab Summit in The strategy s overall vision is to coordinate Arab agricultural policies within a strategic framework that aims to achieve sustainable agricultural development characterized by effective resource 4

12 utilization capable of achieving food security while securing sustainable livelihoods in the agricultural sector. More specifically the strategy formulates five key long-term objectives: 1. Adoption of an Integrated Approach to the Utilization of Arab Agricultural Resources; 2. Achieving a Joint Arab Agricultural Policy 3. Enhancing the Capacity for Providing Safe Food 4. Achieving the Sustainability of Arab Agricultural Resources 5. Achieving Stability in Rural Communities. In order to achieve these objectives, the strategy identifies areas and priorities of action organized in seven main programmes, articulated into 34 sub-programmes, with 114 developmental components. The agricultural strategy clearly recognises water as the key determinant for sustainable agricultural development and further highlights the lack of suitable agricultural land as another main challenge. Consequently its first sub-programme is devoted to development of techniques for better water management, including improving the efficiency of irrigation systems, development of appropriate techniques for water harvesting, desalination, water conservation, reuse of treated wastewater and drainage. The strategy proposes further WEF-nexus-relevant sub-programmes, including developing plant varieties that require limited amounts of irrigation water, participation of water users in managing and covering the costs of access to water, and calls for Arab cooperation in using renewable energy sources in water desalination. The strategy moreover discusses the issues of food security and self-sufficiency, highlighting the fact that a focus on achieving self-sufficiency in food has led to agricultural development trends that have damaged the recourses base in a number of Arab Countries. The strategy thus suggests a regional instead of a national - approach to achieving food security exploiting the differences in the ability to produce certain foodstuffs across the Arab region. Consequently the strategy mentions a number of programmes to facilitate food trade within the region (and beyond). This approach provides an important opportunity to address the interlinkages between water and food security at a macroeconomic level, in support of regional economic integration. Regional approach of the agricultural strategy provides an entry point for nexus mainstreaming Overall, the strategy remains very vague and does not formulate any clear indicators based on which progress towards stated goals could be measured. It thus provides entry points for discussing WEF-nexus interlinkages and shared objectives, mainly between the agricultural and water sectors, without providing an operational framework for implementation. Main Institutions and Stakeholders Involved in Strategy Development The strategy development process was coordinated by the administration of AOAD, which drafted the agricultural strategy together with a team of Arab experts (core team) who have been involved at various stages of the document preparation. The results of the core team s work were presented to the AOAD specialized permanent committees. The General Assembly further commissioned the AOAD administration to report to the LAS ECOSOC during strategy development and on the strategy implementation progress (LAS, 2007, p1-3). AOAD with an expert core team drafts sustainable agricultural development strategy 5

13 2.1.3 Arab Strategy for the Development of Renewable Energy The Pan Arab Strategy for the Development of Renewable Energy Applications ( ) was adopted by the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit in January 2013 as a framework for joint Arab action in the field of renewable energy. It sets the target of expanding the installed capacity for power generation from renewable forms of energy in the region to approximately 75 Gigawatt (GW) by The strategy aims to maximize the utilization of renewable energy, the diversification of energy sources to improve energy security, making available the required energy resources and services necessary to support development, improving the longevity of regional oil and gas reserves, and reducing the environmental impact associated with traditional oil and gas usage. The strategy was complemented by a Roadmap of Actions for Implementation prepared by the Regional Centre for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) in cooperation with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and LAS in Arab strategy for the development of renewable energy provides entry points to address WEF interlinkages Both the strategy and the "Roadmap of Actions" highlight the potential to use renewable forms of energy for desalination and also water pumping, thus providing entry points for addressing interlinkages between the energy, water and agricultural sector. Apart from that it does not, however, mention any cross-sectoral linkages or dependencies. The Arab Ministerial Council on Electricity (AMCE) is currently working on expanding the strategy on renewable energy towards an Arab strategy on sustainable energy, especially by complementing the existing strategy with issues of energy efficiency. The existing terms of reference for the sustainable energy strategy to be developed highlight the need to analyse the environmental, social and economic perspectives of energy development and stress the need to ensure that the energy sector does not become an obstacle or consumer of other sources of income. It further highlights the need to manage the demand for energy in general, and for electricity in particular. These aspects provide important entry points for a WEF-nexus perspective, an opportunity that could well be taken up now, during the strategy development stage. Main Institutions and Stakeholders Involved in Strategy Development Development of the "Pan Arab Strategy for the Development of Renewable Energy Applications ( )" was coordinated by AMCE and its technical secretariat, committees and specialized staff. Moreover, experts from agencies and organizations working in the fields of renewable energy and energy efficiency were involved in the preparation of the strategy (LAS 2013). 2.2 Cross-Sectoral Strategies In addition to the sectoral strategies mentioned above, LAS has developed a number of cross-sectoral strategies that can provide entry points for WEF-nexus approaches to resources management and development. The most relevant strategies will be briefly discussed in the following section, highlighting references to WEF nexus. 6

14 The Arab Framework of Action on Climate Change (2012) was developed under the coordination of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs (CAMRE) between 2009 and 2012 and involves various sectoral entities of the League of Arab States and beyond. The main aim of the framework is to strengthen the capacities of Arab states to take reasonable measures to address climate change issues in a way that reduces its political, economic, social and environmental reflections and is in line with the requirements of sustainable development in the Arab countries. The framework does not reflect on the linkages that exist across WEF nexus, but provides sectoral approaches to adaptation and mitigation. However, some of the sectoral measures are characterised by linkages with other sectors, thus providing opportunities for synergies and inter-sectoral cooperation. Adaptation activities mentioned in the framework provide potential for cooperation across the WEF-nexus sectors. Developing climate agricultural maps at the Arab regional level that contribute directly to supporting the decision-making Arab Framework of Action on Climate Change (2012) Adaptation activities are entry points for WEF-nexus mainstreaming Improving the efficiency of water use in irrigation, industry and for household purposes Developing low-quality-water use in irrigation Development of technologies for the use of agricultural waste Expanding the use of renewable energy in lifting water and irrigating crops Rationalizing the consumption of fertilizers in agriculture Improving the efficiency of energy use in factories Recycling and reuse of industrial waste water The Arab Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development (2015) was prepared by UNESCWA and UNEP for LAS with the aim of updating the existing framework for sustainable development dating from The framework explicitly promotes the the nexus approach to water-energy-food sustainability in the Arab region and encourages the transition towards a green economy to address the interdependencies between water, energy and food to make the nexus work for the poor. It further suggests adopting indicators that provide monitoring tools for WEF mainstreaming. Arab Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development (2015) Indicators suggested for measurement The amount of water needed per unit of energy The amount of energy needed per unit of water Energy and water needs per unit of major crops 7

15 2.3 Entry Points and Gaps for WEF-Nexus Mainstreaming Water-use efficiency in agriculture and use of renewable energies for desalination are entry points for coordinated regional development Water-use efficiency in agriculture and use of renewable energies for desalination are entry points for coordinated regional development The regional sectoral and cross-sectoral strategies involve sustainable approaches to sectoral development and thus provide entry points for mainstreaming a nexus perspective, even if they do not directly mention cross-sectoral interlinkages. Several topics feature in almost all strategies; these include, for example, water-use efficiency in agriculture and the use of renewable energy for desalination. These topics could thus provide first entry points for coordinated regional action plans in support of a WEF-nexus approach to sustainable development. Main gaps: There are two main categories of gaps for WEF-nexus mainstreaming in regional strategies. The first relates to the thematic scopes of strategies not sufficiently reflecting WEF-nexus interlinkages. The second relates to implementation of the strategies. The main thematic and implementation gaps are summarised in. Main thematic gaps for WEF-nexus mainstreaming Main implementation gaps for WEF-nexus mainstreaming no consideration of water requirements of renewable energy and energy generation from fossil fuels (apart from Sustainable Development Framework) no consideration of land requirements of renewable energy no consideration of virtual water transferred out of the mostly-water-scarce Arab region limited consideration of energy requirements for agricultural production no consideration of the impact of agriculture on the quality of water resources (from fertilisers and salination) limited consideration of the potential of increasing energy-efficiency in water treatment and conveyance Regional strategies are non-binding for national governments. While the strategies highlight important issues of sustainability and WEF nexus, they do not provide clear recommendations on how to achieve these goals and monitor progress towards them. Regional strategies and are not necessarily used to guide national strategy development. Regional strategies are short of budget and solid implementation plans. Table 1 provides an overview of main entry points and gaps for WEF-nexus mainstreaming in selected sectoral and cross sectoral strategies. Table 1: Regional Strategy / Action Plan on: WATER Entry Points and Gaps for WEF-Nexus Mainstreaming in Selected Sectoral and Cross- Sectoral Strategies WEF-Nexus Entry Points Included in the Strategy / Action Plan Increasing efficiency and productivity of water uses, developing water-use efficiency indicators Increasing the use of renewable energy in water desalination and treatment Increasing the use of non-conventional water sources in agriculture Main WEF-Nexus-Related Gaps Strategy Key Performance Indicators do not reflect nexus issues, apart from the indicator Increase of the economic and social return per unit of water in all uses. 8

16 Regional Strategy / Action Plan on: AGRICULTURE RENEWABLE ENERGY CLIMATE CHANGE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WEF-Nexus Entry Points Included in the Strategy / Action Plan Increasing the efficiency of water use in agriculture Increasing the use of renewable energy in water desalination Increasing regional cooperation and trade to ensure food security (as opposed to food self-sufficiency) Increasing use of renewable energy in water desalination and pumping Improving the efficiency of water use in irrigation, industry and for household purposes, Developing the use of low-quality water in irrigation Developing technologies for the use of agricultural waste (for energy production and fertilising) Increasing the use of renewable energy in lifting water and irrigating crops Suggests adopting indicators for measuring the amount of water needed per unit of energy the amount of energy needed per unit of water energy and water needs per unit of major crops Main WEF-Nexus-Related Gaps The strategy and proposed subprogrammes do not address interlinkages with the energy sector, e.g. energy use for water pumping, agricultural production and food processing Do not address the impact of fertilisers on water resources Potential of integrated wastewater management, including reuse of water and nutrients in agriculture, not fully addressed Existing strategy and Roadmap for Action do not mention any further cross-sectoral linkages or dependencies, e.g. do not mention water and land requirements for renewable energy. Framework of Action only provides sectoral approaches to adaptation and mitigation, but does not reflect on the linkages that exist across WEF nexus, e.g. energy requirements of the water sector, renewable energy requirements Does not sufficiently address WEF-nexus synergies in terms of sustainable development and thus promotes crosssectoral approaches Indicators need to be aligned with SDGs 2.4 Recommendations for Nexus Mainstreaming in Regional Strategies The following recommendations towards increased mainstreaming of WEF nexus in the regional strategies are formulated on the basis of the analysis Thematic Recommendations While the regional strategies highlight some important issues of sustainability and intersectoral linkages (e.g. water-use efficiency in agriculture), a number of important WEFnexus trade-offs and synergies are not yet sufficiently reflected in the various regional strategies. More precisely, regional strategies should more explicitly promote synergistic multi-purpose approaches towards contributing to water, energy and food security, that further provide significant opportunities for contributing to SDGs and climate change adaptation and mitigation. 9

17 Promote synergistic multipurpose approaches: potential of integrated wastewater management, including reuse of water and nutrients in agriculture, as well as energy generation multi-purpose use of dams and weirs supplying water for agricultural, as well as for domestic purposes combined with hydropower generation where appropriate potential to combine installation of PV pumps for agricultural water with supplying excess electricity for other uses (also preventing the risk of a rebound effect of PV pumps, providing incentives for unsustainable use of groundwater) promote energy-efficiency in the water and agricultural sector, highlighting the synergies between increasing water efficiency and saving energy at the same time, thus also contributing to climate adaptation and mitigation. Energy-efficiency in the water and agricultural sector water-loss reduction, efficient water pumps, water-efficient irrigation energy-efficient food processing, transport and cooling highlight the need to consider water-requirements of energy production, and call for water efficiency and integrated assessment and planning approaches, especially for concentrating solar power systems, hydropower installations, and cooling in energy generation from fossil fuels Promote integrated approaches to watershed and land-use planning that balance the needs of various sectors to ensure that water, energy and food security are supported help maintain water storage capacity, groundwater recharge and soil fertility thus also providing significant opportunities for climate adaptation prevent unsustainable use of (ground-)water resources for reclamation of agricultural land prevent urban sprawl on fertile agricultural land prevent erosion of and flood damage to agricultural land highlight the concept of virtual water: Raise awareness of the concept of virtual water to prevent water (as well as energy) from being exported out of the region promote regional trade and the import of water highlight the WEF nexus synergies that can be achieved by applying sustainable agricultural practices in terms of Applying sustainable agricultural practices preventing water pollution from agriculture resulting from excessive use of fertilisers and intensive animal husbandry increasing productivity and production with knock-on effects for water and energy requirements in agricultural production maintaining ecosystems, that increase water storage capacity and strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters 10

18 promote demand management and decreasing wastage as an important step towards more efficiency in using water, energy and land resources. highlight the need for integrated assessments of large development projects, (such as major dams, water transfer systems, land reclamation, new urban development) - taking into account the effects on WEF-nexus sectors as well as on ecosystems give more consideration to trends, especially urbanisation, population growth, and climate change, and their impact on the availability of resources and securities, e.g. in terms of: o urbanisation resulting in increased and concentrated demand for water, energy and food while at the same time contributing to pollution of existing water resources due to insufficient sanitation, thus reducing water availability for food production (on top of urban sprawl on agricultural land) Recommendations to support Implementation of Strategies As mentioned above, a further limitation of the regional strategies and their action plans stems from the fact that they do not provide clear recommendations on how to achieve their goals. They further lack clear provisions for progress monitoring, reporting and review of activities by member states. It is therefore recommended that regional strategies and action plans should systematically include reporting mechanisms on policy progress towards strategic goals. In view of mainstreaming WEF nexus, reporting guidelines should include provisions to report on progress in addressing critical WEF-nexus interlinkages. Indicators are useful instruments for policy review and reporting. The nexus indicators included in the LAS Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development provide good examples of overall indicators that could be included in all strategies. Include reporting mechanisms addressing critical WEF-nexus interlinkages amount of water needed per unit of energy amount of energy needed per unit of water energy and water needs per unit of major crops Moreover, more specific indicators should be formulated for reporting on specific WEF-nexus goals to be included in the strategies. Include more specific indicators for reporting on specific WEFnexus goals rate of treatment of wastewater reused in agriculture rate of energy and nutrient recovery from wastewater percentage of desalinated water produced with renewable energy percentage of renewable energy in the agricultural sector Strategies should provide guidance on the range of policy instruments (regulatory, economic, and promotional instruments) to be applied for achieving WEF-nexus goals. 11

19 o An overview of potential regulatory instruments: Provide guidance on regulatory instruments procurement standards, specifying purchasing rules for procurement of goods and services by the public sector, e.g. specification of maximum energy-intensity of wastewater treatment plants, maximum water-intensity of cooling systems, etc. land-use planning standards, including for example water protection zones to prevent pollution of drinking water from agricultural run-off, demarcation of areas suitable for irrigation in which water resources are available in sufficient quantity (preventing reclamation of agricultural land in desert areas and unsustainable use of groundwater) standards specifying minimum energy efficiency of, for example, irrigation systems or wastewater treatment plants regulations on use and storage of fertilisers to prevent pollution standards determining the issuance of land and water titles that take into account WEF-nexus interlinkages (e.g. taking account of existing water titles when approving land titles for agricultural use) regulatory provision requiring strategic environmental assessments, including a focus on WEF-nexus sectors for investment projects. o Economic instruments for WEF mainstreaming include tariffs, taxes, subsidies and other instruments that aim to better reflect cross-sectoral environmental impacts (externalities) and scarcity of resources. Economic instruments for WEF mainstreaming tariffs for water and energy that provide incentives to increase resource efficiency. Besides general tariffs, such as for water and energy in the agricultural sector, strategies and action plans should promote specific tariffs that incentivise WEF-nexus approaches, such as feed-in tariffs for electricity generated from PV panels installed for agricultural water pumping, and tariffs for treated wastewater that incentivise its use in agriculture; tax-exemptions, e.g. reduced taxes for PV panels for use in agricultural pumping subsidies such as for investments in increasing the energy efficiency of wastewater treatment plans, or in multi-purpose infrastructure o Promotional instruments (non-binding and voluntary tools that aim to provide information and increase awareness of efficient use of resources). Promotional instruments labelling, e.g. labels for agricultural products that have been produced in a water-efficient and energy-efficient way voluntary agreements, e.g. between water providers and farmers, in which farmers stop agricultural practices in water-protection areas and are compensated for this by water-utility agreements, and other water-sector agreements to achieve a certain energy-efficiency level. The above elaborated recommendations on thematic entry points and support for implementation of strategies are summarised in Figure 1. 12

20 Figure 1: Recommendations for Nexus Mainstreaming in Regional Strategies 13

21 Nexus mainstreaming in strategies and policies has to be supported by increased coordination and collaboration between the responsible administrative agencies and political bodies. Options for institutional mechanisms to support cross-sectoral coordination and collaboration are elaborated in the following chapters (see especially section 4.1 Institutional Mechanisms). For further recommendations on how the process of WEF-nexus mainstreaming in regional strategies, policies and activities could be initiated and further supported (see section 4.2 Processes and Products for Mainstreaming WEF Nexus). Moreover, this has to be accompanied by capacity development, knowledge exchange, and improved data and knowledge bases, including economic analysis and best-practice case studies. 3 Relevant Institutional Set-Up Within the League of Arab States 3.1 Departments and Ministerial Councils ECOSOC most relevant standing committee for addressing crosssectoral issues ECOSOC is the most relevant standing committee for addressing crosssectoral issues The highest body of the league is the Council, composed of representatives of member states, usually foreign ministers, their representatives and permanent delegates. The council usually meets twice a year, in March and September, and may convene a special session at the request of two members. In addition, the Summits of the Heads of Arab States have become the league's highest-level meeting, during which leaders discuss major regional issues. Since October 2000, the summit has become an annual event. LAS is operated by the permanent secretariat, headed by the secretary-general. The secretariat is the administrative body of LAS and the executive body of the council. In addition, several standing committees have been established, with the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League (ECOSOC) being the most relevant one for addressing cross-sectoral issues. Several specialised Arab Ministerial Councils covering sectoral issues have been established. The AMCs are responsible, among other things, for preparing the respective regional strategies. Each of the councils consists of the relevant ministers of all 22 LAS member states, that usually meet every two years. The councils further have an Executive Bureau, consisting of a selected number of Ministers, as well as a Technical Secretariat that supports the respective ministerial councils in organizational procedures and is usually based at the permanent secretariat of LAS in Cairo. Moreover, several specialised organisations working within the framework of LAS further support the AMCs with technical matters, as for example strategy development and implementation. In addition, technical expert committees, consisting of experts from several member countries, are consulted for technical support on special occasions, as for example during strategy development. The following sections briefly describe the main WEF-nexus-relevant ministerial councils. Figure 1 illustrates the main relevant organisational structures. The most relevant ministerial councils for WEF-nexus issues are given below. The Arab Ministerial Water Council (AMWC), comprising the ministers of all LAS member states responsible for water, was established in 2008 with the mandate of finding solutions to the increasing water scarcity in the region. The Department for Environment, Housing, and Water Resources at the LAS head office in Cairo functions as AMWC s technical secretariat and is commissioned by LAS to prepare and deliver input for the work of AMWC. Moreover, the Centre of Water Studies and Arab Water Security as well as the Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones Dry Lands (ACSAD) are specialised organizations affiliated to LAS which are commissioned by AMWC for certain tasks. ACSAD was commissioned to draft the Arab Strategy for Water and Security in the Arab Region (adopted by AMWC in 14

22 2011) and was further entrusted with developing an action plan for operative implementation. The Arab Ministerial Council for Electricity (AMCE) was established by the League of Arab States in 1993 as a council in charge of overlooking issues related to the production, transmission and distribution of electricity, as well as renewable energy and energy efficiency. The objective of the council is promoting cooperation and coordination and aligning polices among the Arab states to enhance the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency (IRENA 2014). In addition to the ministerial council itself, AMCE has an executive bureau consisting of ministers from eight member states that meet once a year. The AMCE Technical Secretariat is hosted by the LAS Department of Energy. Two technical expert committees support the work of AMCE: (1) the Committee of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Experts and (2) the Expert Committee on Electricity, each consisting of at least one expert per member state plus observer organisations, such as the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and the Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) (Otte, 2016). Together with its secretariat and expert committees AMCE develops and revises regional strategies on renewable forms of energy and on energy efficiency. The General Assembly of the Arab Organisation for Agricultural Development (AOAD), consisting of the Arab ministers responsible for agriculture, functions as the Arab ministerial council on agriculture. Unlike the other sectors, the technical secretariat responsible for agriculture is not based at the LAS headquarters in Cairo but at AOAD in Khartoum. AOAD is a specialized organization under the umbrella of LAS. It has several specialized permanent committees supporting its work: (1) the Agriculture and Water Committee, (2) the Natural and Environmental Resources Committee, and (3) the Fisheries and Aquaculture Committee. AOAD was commissioned by LAS to prepare the current strategy for sustainable Arab agricultural development for two decades ( ), this being drafted in The General Assembly further commissioned the AOAD administration to report to the LAS ECOSOC on the strategy implementation progress (LAS, 2007, p1-3). The Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs (CAMRE) was set up to maintain coordination and cooperation among Arab countries in all matters related to the environment and sustainable development (Chnais et al., 2015). CAMRE is organized in a similar way to the other ministerial councils, with a technical secretariat based at the Department of Environment, Water, Housing and an executive bureau meeting twice a year. The Joint Committee on Environment and Development in the Arab Region (JCEDAR) is the technical expert committee supporting the work of CAMRE and consisting of experts from member states, as well as from international and regional organizations. JCEDAR convenes once a year and is organized into around ten standing working groups (e.g. working groups on meteorology, disasters and emergencies, sustainable development indicators, chemicals and dangerous substances, desertification and biodiversity, etc.) (Chnais et al., 2015). CAMRE is responsible for nexus-relevant cross-sectoral topics including the Arab Plan of Action to deal with Climate Change (APACC) (2008), the Arab Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development ( ) ; the Arab Strategy on Sustainable Consumption and Production (2009) and the Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020 (2010). In addition to the ministerial councils mentioned above, the recently established Department for Sustainable Development and International Cooperation may play a role in future efforts to mainstream WEF nexus in LAS policies, strategies and activities. It is a fairly new administrative unit (established in April 2016) and is in charge of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Its main goal is to develop an 15

23 implementation plan for the SDGs in the region, to address regional cooperation, and to demonstrate progress at the national level. Together with UN ESCWA the department has been commissioned to prepare the Arab regional report to the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) 7 in Contrary to the ministerial councils that are part of the political structure of LAS and report to ECOSOC, the Department for Sustainable Development and International Cooperation directly reports to the LAS Deputy Secretary General and is thus part of the administrative structure of LAS.. 7 The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is the United Nations' central platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. 16

24 Figure 2: Institutional Setting for WEF Nexus within the League of Arab States - selected relevant institutions Political level Arab Summit (Heads of LAS Council (Ministers of Foreign LAS administrative level Secretary General Deputy Secretary General Economic and Social Council (Ministers of Economic Energy Water Agriculture Environment AMCE Exec. Bureau admin support techn. advice Dpt. TS Energy AMWC Exec. Bureau admin support techn. advice Dpt. * TS EHWR AOAD Administration admin support General Assembly AOAD techn. advice Dpt. * TS EHWRSD admin suppor admin CAMRE support Exec. Bureau techn. advice Dpt. Sus. Dev. Int. Coop RE&EE Expert Committe e Electricity Committe Technical Committe ACSAD AOAD incl. specialised committees JCEDAR * Department for Environment, Housing, and Water Resources 17

25 3.2 LAS Administrative Characteristics and Constraints The technical, administrative and financial capacity of LAS departments (and thus their abilities to perform as technical secretariats for the ministerial councils) is comparatively weak; departments are understaffed, constrained to a few technical experts (no more than 7 experts plus director) in each division and suffer from continued brain drain. The departments have no budget available for their own program activities, except for activities financed by external development partners. They are overwhelmed with administrative burdens and coordination efforts. Their thematic expertise comes from the technical committees (contracted expertise), external consultants and seconded international staff. Facilitation by external partners, either IOs such as FAO or the WFP, WHO, UNDP or bilateral development partners, allows working on the various goals of regional strategies, but does not provide sustainability of initiatives and policies when funding is reduced or ends. This suggests a strong argument for increasing one's own funding in the LAS budget for areas that are considered to be key areas for the region. LAS departments have no rights to formal agenda-setting powers, as they only respond to the requests and interests of member states, as mandated by Summit decisions. Other than through the ministerial councils which they support as technical secretariats, the departments have little or no connection to national governments. National government interests at this level are mainly executed through seconded staff and are based on informal contacts, consultations with members of the ministerial councils, and informal consultations and briefings with cabinet officers and advisors. Moreover, LAS has no mechanism for compelling members' compliance with its resolutions and strategies. The main interests of members in developing regional LAS strategies are in knowledge sharing and transfer, technical assistance and guidelines, capacity building and training, and finance and policy coordination at the regional level. This interest in technical cooperation compensates for the lack of normative power of LAS. 4 Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus Coordination Mechanisms for the League of Arab States Better coordination among the ministerial councils / technical secretariats / departments in order to mainstream the nexus perspective in sectoral strategies should be facilitated at three levels: the institutional level, the level of communication, and the level of procedural innovation. The following sections discuss the prioritised options for 1) institutional mechanisms and 2) processes and products, in support of WEF-nexus mainstreaming in regional policies and strategies. 4.1 Institutional Mechanisms Institutional procedures or mechanisms to increase inter-sectoral coordination and collaboration within LAS could be established at different levels and take different forms ranging from a formalized inter-council structure, regular working groups or task forces, to ad-hoc coordination meetings or side panels of workshops, as for policy reviews and annual planning. The document Options for a Nexus Coordination Mechanism for LAS 9 prepared within the current study, analyses different options for institutional coordination mechanisms. The main options, including their advantages and 9 Carius A. and Kramer A Mainstreaming the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus into Policies and Institutions in the MENA Region: Options for a nexus coordination mechanism for LAS. GIZ, GFA 18

26 disadvantages, are summarised in figure 2. Based on this analysis, an appropriate mechanism for coordination has been identified through consultations with key experts within LAS and other organizations. The prioritised mechanism for coordination is further detailed in the following section. Figure 3: Potential Options for Improved Coordination Towards Nexus Mainstreaming Recommended Institutional Set-Up: Formalisation of Institutional Cooperation Among the Technical Secretariats Against the background of the existing strengths and constraints of the institutions and actors at various levels, and the current mode of cooperation between them, several options for better inter-agency cooperation within LAS emerge. The ministerial councils technical secretariats - and thus the respective LAS departments that host them - still play the central role in policy coordination, even though only through informal communication and consultation. The recently established Department for Sustainable Development and International Cooperation should also be involved in the existing coordination mechanisms. The sustainable development department s involvement in these coordination mechanisms should allow for the linking of WEF-nexus activities and reporting with the upcoming member states reports on SDG implementation and the Arab Regional Report on Sustainable Development to be submitted to the HLPF in Based on the previous institutional analysis and consultations held, it is thus suggested (in the short-term) that coordination be formalised at the administrative level, i.e. between the technical secretariats liaising with the newly established department for Sustainable Development and International Cooperation. Coordination among the thematic ministerial councils and related departments / technical secretariats is currently constrained, due to the location of the technical secretariat of the agricultural ministerial council in Khartoum, with only limited capacity in the agricultural department in Cairo. Cooperation efforts between the water and energy departments are well advanced, even though largely through informal communication. Recommendation to formalise coordination at the administrative level 19

27 Formalize alreadyexisting cooperative practice by development of a joint work programme and mandating responsibilities and cooperation modes Concentrate on harmonization of climate agreement, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development Institutional arrangements should build on the already-existing but informal cooperative practice between sectoral departments and councils. It is recommended that these be further formalized in two directions: a) institutionalizing the cooperation of technical secretariats through the development of a joint work programme that includes the joint drafting of vision documents, strategic plans and action plans, as well as best-practice documentation, and b) formalizing responsibilities and cooperation modes through mandating by ministerial councils. Optional Institutional Mechanisms: Once formally mandated, closer cooperation may take place in different forms, which would need to be decided in the further process. Institutional coordination/cooperation mechanisms could, for example, take the form of a) regular and formalized technical secretariat staff meetings; b) the appointment of liaison officers (monitoring developments in other fields to identify overlapping interests); c) exchange of staff between technical secretariats/departments for a period of time, in order to jointly work on nexus issues; d) secondment of WEF-nexus experts from bilateral development partners and advanced member states into all three departments. In addition, specific task forces (working groups) may be set up temporarily at the level of the technical secretariats for a specific coordination problem, for developing conceptual notes or for supporting the technical secretariats (and subsequently the councils) in reporting obligations. Conceptual work should concentrate on the harmonization of various international agenda items, namely on the climate (Paris Agreement and the Arab Plan of Action to deal with Climate Change), disaster risk reduction (Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Hyogo Framework Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020) and sustainable development (Sustainable Development Goals, the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Arab Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development ) and their implications for the thematic strategies and regional activities. Participation in a task force should be on an equal and voluntary basis Spearheading Coordination at the Departmental Level During our consultations and interviews, various institutional options for spearheading the WEF-Nexus within LAS at department level were discussed and the following criteria for assessing institutional effectiveness established: track record, excellence, capacities, visibility, commitment, and convening power. Out of these discussions, mainly three options for spearheading coordination among technical secretariats emerge: These three options are discussed and depicted in the graphics below: Option a) the Department for Environment, Housing, and Water Resources has been suggested to take the lead in coordinating and further advancing WEF-Nexus activities at LAS (figure 3). Option a) EHWR taking the lead to advance regional WEF nexus activities Against these criteria mentioned above, the Department for Environment, Housing, and Water Resources has been prioritised by many interviewees since it can build on a track record of WEF-Nexus activities, has been instrumental in the preparation of the WEF-Nexus policy briefs and subsequent agenda setting at council level. The department is widely recognized among development partners, member states and 20

28 other agencies as the driver of WEF-Nexus activities within LAS. Strengthening its mandate would assure to further advance the WEF-Nexus as an Arab lens on the SDGs and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and assures, the WEF-Nexus is not diluted in the context of the SDG implementation process. Figure 4: Option a) Department for Environment, Housing, and Water Resources to Take the Lead in Advancing WEF-Nexus Activities Within the League of Arab States Option a) It has been suggested that the Department for Environment, Housing, and Water Resources should take the lead in coordinating and further advancing WEF-nexus activities in LAS (Figure 3). The newly established Department of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation is sui generis a cross-sectoral administrative unit, mandated to prepare the Arab Report on the implementation of the SDGs for HLPF in Mandated by the Summit and positioned to drive and support SDG regional reporting efforts (in cooperation with UN ESCWA) it is expected to receive high political traction. The Department of Sustainable Development directly reports to the Deputy-Secretary General of LAS. However, its political leverage is still constrained, as it is not linked to a ministerial council and thus to the political structure of LAS. In addition, the focus on SDG implementation runs the risk of WEF-nexus issues being diluted in the context of the SDG implementation process. Without further integration within the institutional architecture of LAS and direct linking to a ministerial council, its legitimacy, political influence and operational impact must still be considered marginal. Option b) SD&IC to take the lead in advancing regional WEF-nexus activities 21

29 Figure 5: Option b) Department of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation to Take the Lead in Advancing WEF-Nexus Activities Within the League of Arab States Option c) Leadership could be shared by the technical secretariats or the respective LAS Departments on a rotational basis (figure 5). Option c) Leadership can be shared between TS on rotational basis Leadership by the technical secretariats on a rotating basis (preferably biannually, in order to allow for necessary adjustments and continuity) would benefit from the existing institutional setting and practice, their technical expertise and the alreadyestablished informal modes of cooperation. It would trigger the secretariats to substantially engage in cross-sectoral programming and to take policy developments in other sectors into account. Exchanges of staff among secretariats would support their cross-sectoral efforts. Figure 6: Option c) Leadership to Advance WEF-Nexus Activities Within LAS Could be Shared by the Technical Secretariats on a Rotational Basis 22

30 4.1.3 Formal Mandating Through Ministerial Councils to Increase Political Strength In order to formalize WEF-nexus coordination and cooperation among the technical secretariats, it is necessary to get the ministerial councils involved in this inter-sectoral process, to provide the necessary political backing, and to increase legitimacy. Ministerial councils should mandate technical secretariats and approve a work plan for the technical secretariats to establish coordination mechanisms and work towards NEXUS mainstreaming in regional strategies and activities, as well as in building capacity. A formal mandate by the councils would enable the technical secretariats (or the LAS departmental units that host them) to act and to prepare reports to the three thematic councils. Alternatively, this process could be triggered by the Socio Economic Council, which meets twice a year. A council decision would then mandate the three thematic councils for closer cooperation.. Recommendation to give the technical secretariats a mandate to approve a work plan to establish coordination mechanisms 4.2 Processes and Products for Mainstreaming WEF Nexus In general, WEF mainstreaming at the LAS regional level could take different approaches: a) mainstreaming nexus in overarching cross-sectoral planning or strategies (e.g. strategies for sustainable development) b) mainstreaming in sectoral strategies and coordination on specific nexus interlinkages While section 2.3 Recommendations for Nexus Mainstreaming in Regional Strategies identifies concrete recommendation for mainstreaming a WEF-nexus perspective on policies and strategies, the processes of developing or reviewing strategies and action plans take long time and are highly political. It is therefore recommended that WEFnexus mainstreaming be initiated through less binding communicative instruments that would guide regional strategy development and implementation planning in the future. Moreover, LAS has no mandate to monitor the compliance of member states with regional strategies, and implementation takes place at the national level. Against this background, communicative instruments, such as reporting, can play an important guiding role in support of also mainstreaming WEF-nexus at the national level. Use of communicative instruments for WEF policy coordination to set longerterm objectives that will guide strategy development in the relevant sectors. Such communicative instruments could consist of WEF-nexus-related provisions in overall (sustainable development) strategies, or adopting a specific WEF-nexus strategy or action plan, as a means of impleming existing strategies. These provisions could be further specified through the development and application of specific nexus indicators. They should form the basis for reporting by member states on the implementation of the respective strategies or best-practice approaches related to the strategies. Based on consultations with regional stakeholders and LAS experts, the following communicative instruments are proposed for nexus mainstreaming of a WEF-nexus perspective on activities and policies. Recommendation to use communicative instruments, such as a specific WEF-nexus strategy or action plan, including specific nexus indicators Approving a Joint Vision Document It is suggested that the three technical secretariats jointly draft a vision document to be shared with the three ministerial councils and submitted to ECOSOC for endorsement. This could be based on a) the outcome of national consultations in Morocco, Egypt and Jordan, that have demonstrated the critical interlinkages and have captured the breadth 23

31 and potential of integrated WEF-nexus approaches, and b) the six policy briefs on WEF nexus in the Arab region. The endorsement of the vision document is no formal decision but should signal the joint interest in WEF-NEXUS approaches Monitoring, Reporting and Reviewing of Progress Towards a WEF- Nexus Approach Crucial elements of effective implementation are the monitoring, reporting and reviewing of activities by member states, to monitor progress on domestic WEF-nexus activities, report on best practices and initiate a review of achievements that allows for policy learning among member states and across sectors. Recommendation to link reporting requirements to already-existing mechanisms In order to avoid additional reporting requirements for member states it is suggested that these should be linked to already-existing and planned reporting mechanisms. The Joint Arab Economic Report and the future reporting on implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, provide opportunities to promote WEF-nexus mainstreaming, in particular. For each of these reports, criteria, principles and reporting standards for WEF-nexus reporting would have to be developed and agreed upon. Option a) Mainstreaming WEF Nexus in Economic Reporting Mainstreaming WEF nexus in economic reporting would reflect the importance of quantifying the costs and benefits of nexus approaches in order to increase the credibility of the concept and political reach. Only if economic and social gains can be clearly demonstrated, will WEF NEXUS gain traction in the member states. Particular attention needs to be given to the economic benefits of integrated policy measures as compared to the costs of taking no action, or of single-sector approaches. Costs-benefit analyses of nexus approaches should thus be included in the economic reporting by LAS and its Arab Economic Report. The annual report on economic developments in the Arab countries is prepared jointly by the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC). Chapter 3 of the 2015 edition of the Joint Arab Economic Report on water and agriculture is the only reference to the nexus topic in the main economic development report. A special issue on WEF nexus in addition to the existing economic report may complement the statistical and narrative reporting. Emphasis should be given to case studies and champion countries in order to trigger transformation of success cases in other countries. Regulatory frameworks, financial support mechanisms and modes of technology development, application and cooperation should be illustrated. Benchmarking countries on policy progress towards a WEF-nexus approach and on resource efficiencies could further incentivize them to take concrete nexus actions. 24

32 Reporting requirements would be voluntary and should be the result of a political process, as the regional sectoral strategies do not require any reporting and are not spelled out in very concrete implementation plans. The LAS Roadmap of Actions for Implementation of the Pan-Arab Strategy for Renewable Energy may serve as a template, as it includes reporting guidelines for national energy efficiency action plans (NEEAPs) and a renewable energy action plan (REAP). While NEEAP and REAP do not include a cross-sectoral perspective, they may provide guidance on how monitoring requirements could be designed and formulated. Option b) Linking WEF-Nexus Reporting to SDG Implementation Reports Progress has been made with regard to sustainable development, as demonstrated by the first Arab Sustainable Development Report 2015 published in May 2016 by UNESCWA and UNEP, with assistance of the LAS. The report reviews the current situation in the Arab countries in relation to sustainable development. It is expected that WEF nexus will form an essential part of national contributions to the 2030 Arab Sustainable Development Report to be submitted in 2018 to HLPF. LAS member states are required to report on the sustainable development goals and targets along the indicators provided by UN-DESA. However, even though it is expected to cover the whole array of SDGs, countries may set priorities on the sectors and SDGs that are of utmost priority. Particular attention should be given to cross-sectoral approaches where WEF nexus is expected to play an eminent role. Moreover, SDG reporting could be amended by nexus-specific indicators, e.g. those proposed in the LAS Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development (see section 2.2 Cross-Sectoral Strategies). Figure 7 summarises the recommended options for WEF-nexus coordination mechanisms for LAS.. Figure 7: Overview Options for WEF-Nexus Coordination Mechanisms for the League of Arab States 25

33 5 Next Steps and the Way Forward 5.1 Next Steps for Establishing a LAS WEF-Nexus Coordination Mechanism Call for a joint meeting of relevant ministerial councils or bureaus (still meeting separately). It is suggested that a meeting among all four councils (AMWC, AMCE, AOAD, CAMRE) at ministerial level be called for in order to place WEF nexus as a permanent item on their agendas. The aim is to jointly mandate the respective technical units within LAS for closer cooperation, to call for domestic policy measures for institutional improvements, to agree on a cross-sectoral framework for WEF-nexus activities and to establish a regular monitoring and reporting process on WEF-nexus activities. 1. Meeting and relevant documents (mandate, resolution, vision, and work plan) are to be prepared jointly by the four technical secretariats and the Department for Sustainable Development and International Cooperation. The technical secretariats should support the ministerial councils by preparing the agenda and joint background notes for council meetings. These could take the form of a vision document or a joint statement. 2. Ministerial councils are to mandate technical secretariats and approve the work plans for technical secretariats, to establish coordination mechanisms and work towards nexus mainstreaming in regional strategies and activities. 3. Identifying champions among the national ministers or heads of state who could promote these efforts. These could, for example, be representatives from countries that are advanced in taking cross-sectoral perspectives and promoting efficient use of resources. Figure 8: Proposed Process to Establish an Institutional Set-Up for the WEF-Nexus Coordination Mechanism for the League of Arab States 26

34 5.2 Accompanying the Implementation Process Once an institutional mechanism has been agreed upon and mandated for intersectoral coordination and cooperation, the process will need to be further supported through knowledge generation and management, as well as capacity development Sharing of Knowledge and Best Practices The WEF nexus concept has now reached the stage to be elevated. Policy briefs have been published and have received widespread recognition within the governments of the Arab region and interested constituencies. Within the WEF-nexus mainstreaming study, country profiles have been developed, analysing country-specific critical interlinkages between water, energy and food security, describing respective institutional and administrative frameworks for cross-sectoral policy making, and identifying room for improvement in the current institutional setting and administrative procedures. These case studies, together with the National Policy Guidelines that were also prepared within the assignment, should be widely circulated, be it as part of national consultations or at conferences in the region. As a next step, further bestpractice cases should be identified and promoted, particularly with regard to the economic benefits of WEF-nexus approaches. Success cases at the national or local level have to be identified and described for specific industrial or technology sectors, also highlighting the role the private sector can and should play Human Resources Development and Enhancing Capacity The LAS Secretary General has been approached with an initiative to review the existing staffing of the departments and to improve the managerial and thematic expertise of the departments staffs. Based on this review and in combination with a capacity-needs assessment, a capacity development program should be carried out for LAS staff. The development of human resources should include regular training of the respective staff by attending the various training courses offered by multilateral and bilateral development partners in the Arab region and beyond. Furthermore, such a capacity development program should include online-training and webinars. A program to host interns, master students or PhD candidates would allow fresh ideas to be absorbed and would enhance human-resource capacities. Such a program could be established in cooperation with development partners and foundations headquartered in Cairo. Seconding WEF-nexus experts from national and regional centres of excellence to the technical secretariats would further improve their technical expertise and advance the transfer of R&D to policy making. More specifically, capacity development measures should cover, among other things, the following topics: general awareness of the benefits that a WEF-nexus approach can provide in terms of eradicating poverty and improving livelihoods, improving environmental sustainability and resource efficiency, combating land degradation and reducing vulnerability to climate change; policy instruments (regulatory, economic, and promotional instruments, such as standards, tariffs, and indicators) supporting implementation of a WEF-nexus approach for achieving WEF-nexus goals (see also section 2.3); individual staff functions, including work capabilities in inter-disciplinary teams, and innovative management approaches to support inter-departmental communication/coordination; technical understanding in all three sectors, sectoral staff involved in crosssectoral coordination and collaboration mechanisms acquiring knowledge of main policy and economic frameworks, data-collection and monitoring processes, uses of resources and interlinkages - in all three sectors; 27

35 understanding relationships between WEF nexus and SDGs, given that the SDG process has been identified as one of the main entry point for nexus mainstreaming at the national and regional levels, so that staff should have a clear understanding of the relevant goals, targets and indicators and how they can be combined within a WEF-nexus perspective. LAS has an important role to play in advocating WEF nexus to its members. Introducing the concept and providing the Evidence Base for cross-sectoral approaches is crucial for member states, if they are to advance towards integrated and cross-sectoral policy approaches and programs. The series of policy briefs on WEF nexus promoted by LAS serves as a vivid example of the importance of knowledge dissemination and policy dialogue for further engagement. Accompanying capacity-building measures should include the promotion of cross-border learning through regional workshops and delegation visits (within the Arab region and abroad) Promoting Cross-Sectoral Research LAS and its ministerial councils and particularly its executive bureaus are supported by a number of technical committees composed of specialised research organizations with strong technical expertise on nexus-relevant topics. In this context, the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) and the Arab Water Council play a crucial role. These organizations have been instrumental in the conceptual development of WEF nexus in the Arab region and the concrete formulation and implementation of technical programs. LAS may further build on their expertise by involving these institutions in its current institutional architecture, for example the suggested steering committee, or closer involvement in the further development of action plans and work programs building on the existing regional sectoral strategies. Promoting cross-sectoral research programmes at the national level has proved to be untapped potential. In many of the LAS member states, there are national research institutions on water, energy and agriculture with a strong sectoral focus. Even though elements of WEF nexus are already subject to national R&D programs, LAS should recommend and promote cross-sectoral national R&D programs particularly geared towards WEF nexus. Here, it is recommended that R&D programs be promoted on a large scale, with heavy investment. These programs should go beyond the national focus and explicitly address the regional dimension of WEF nexus. Given the role of these institutions in advising strategy development processes, this could also directly impact WEF-nexus mainstreaming in regional strategies. Their expertise might also contribute to the development of the suggested WEF-nexus reporting by members states, into annual reporting. Figure 9 summarises the next steps recommended for establishing a WEF-nexus coordination mechanism within LAS. 28

36 Figure 9: Next Steps for Establishing a WEF-Nexus Coordination Mechanism for the League of Arab States 5.3 The Way Forward The following amendments to the recommended institutional set-up and communicative instruments for nexus mainstreaming are suggested for longer-term consideration, in order to further promote the institutionalisation of a WEF-nexus approach in LAS and further enhance nexus mainstreaming, also at the national level of the member states Further Development of the Institutional LAS Architecture The proposed WEF-nexus institutional set-up in LAS will have to be revised in the course of time, once progress on WEF nexus has been made and the approach is becoming politically attractive by generating environmental, economic, financial and social gains. The current institutional architecture is based on two pillars: substantial informal cooperation at the departmental level, and still-virgin institutional cooperation mechanisms at the political level of the ministerial councils and their technical secretariats. Both pillars need further formalization and strengthening of cooperative arrangements for the sake of effectiveness, and to increase the political reach and impact. LAS could initiate a task force of internal and external experts and representatives from member states to further explore these institutional options and challenge the political level of the LAS decision-making bodies. Establishing a Coordination Body at the Political Level. There seems to be a need for a supra-structure above the administrative level, i.e. above the respective technical secretariats / LAS departments, which would allow a) an increase in political leverage and coordination power and thus effectively coordinate sectoral strategies and activities, and b) the provision of sufficient financial means for implementation within the LAS budget, for independence from external and normally time-bound funding. There are the following mechanisms for institutional strengthening: 29

37 Recommendation to establish a coordination body at political level which is above the LAS technical secretariats a) Closer Coordination at the Level of the Executive Bureaus. Several options emerge for the modus of leadership: a) an executive bureau of water taking the lead; b) executive bureaus taking the lead on a rotating basis. Neither of these two options would require additional administrative structures, only the political will. b) Establishment of a Steering Committee as a new coordination mechanism advising the ministerial councils and executive bureaus, as well as steering their activities, in order to better integrate WEF nexus in their sectoral activities. The Steering Committee should be composed of high-level senior experts to be nominated by their respective governments. c) Creation of a new Executive Bureau on WEF NEXUS, with representatives of all four ministerial councils, and supported by its own staff and budget. The NEXUS Bureau should then liaise with relevant ministerial councils, their executive bureaus and technical secretariats. However, the creation of a new executive bureau would require heavy political and administrative investment. Achieving Political Backing / a Mandate for Coordination from ECOSOSC. This would allow benefiting from the political and normative strength of ECOSOC. However ECOSOC currently lacks expertise in WEF-nexus issues and is burdened by an overloaded agenda Including WEF Nexus Cross-References in Strategy Implementation Plans LAS regional strategies suffer from the absence of a budget of their own, as well as from a lack of clear implementation strategies, action programmes and roadmaps. Without provisions for effective implementation, these strategies risk remaining paper tigers. LAS should make further efforts to mainstream the WEF-nexus approach to existing regional sector strategies by introducing cross-references to WEF nexus in the more detailed guidelines for implementation, e.g. action plans, work programmes and road maps to be agreed upon by member states. (See section 2.3 Recommendations for Nexus Mainstreaming in Regional Strategies). These practical specifications may build on initial experience in implementing a WEF-nexus approach by champion countries and individual success cases. LAS should propose provisions for nexus mainstreaming at the level of the members states through procedural instruments that go beyond nexus indicators and reporting, such as: o provisions to inform and consult other sectors on policy developments (such as developing strategies and action plans); o promotional loans and preferred funding for sectoral programmes addressing the nexus perspective; o obligations to carry out impact assessments across WEF nexus within project or programme planning (similar to strategic environmental assessments); o requirements to include a WEF-nexus perspective in the assessment of new policies and strategies. LAS should provide the necessary means for exchanging experience on policy progress and constraints in order to disseminate knowledge and good practices throughout the region. Here, reporting and policy review play a crucial role, as they should constitute an arena for policy learning. LAS could further initiate twinning projects in areas of specific issues between countries that share similar problem structures and institutional and administrative framework conditions, in order to promote the transfer of regulatory approaches where appropriate. 30

38 6 References Arab League Online: CAMRE (2012): Arab Plan of Action to deal with Climate Change (APACC), Baghdad, Iraq. --- (2010): The Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020, Cairo, Egypt. Carius A. and Kramer A Mainstreaming the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus into Policies and Institutions in the MENA Region: Options for a nexus coordination mechanism for LAS. GIZ, GFA Chnais, Elie et al. (2015): The Water-Energy- Food Nexus and Institutions in the Arab World, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and international Affairs, Climate Change and Environment in the Arab World Program. Haynes, Ed (1998): Internal Regulations of the Council of the League of Arab States, Model League of Arab States, Winthrop University, as/councilregs.html --- (1998b): Internal Regulations of the Secretariat-General of the League, Model League of Arab States, Winthrop University, as/secgenregs.html. --- (1998c): Internal Regulations of the Committees of the League of Arab States, Model League of Arab States, Winthrop University, as/cmteeregs.html. Hoff H, Al-Zubari W, Mansour L, Abaza H, Biad M, Al Ouran N, Ulrich A Mainstreaming the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus into Policies and Institutions in the MENA Region: Nexus Evidence Base. GIZ, GFA. Jacob, Klaus; Volkery, Axel (2004): Institutions and Instruments for Government Self- Regulation: Environmental Policy Integration in a Cross-Country Perspective, Environmental Policy Research Centre, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Jordan, Andrew; Lenschow, Andrea (2010): Environmental Policy Integration: a State of the Art Review, Policy Paper, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK; Faculty of Social Sciences, Osnabrück University, Germany. League of Arab States (2013): Pan Arab Strategy for the Development of Renewable Energy Applications ( ), Cairo, Egypt. --- (2012): Arab Strategy for Water Security in the Arab Region to Meet the Challenges and Future Needs for Sustainable Development , Cairo, Egypt. --- (2007): Strategy for Sustainable Arab Agricultural Development for the Upcoming Two Decades ( ), Cairo, Egypt, available at Mansour L, Kramer A, Abaza H, Al Ouran N, Al-Zubari W, Carius A, Ulrich A, Hoff H Mainstreaming the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus into Policies and Institutions in the MENA Region: National guidelines on mainstreaming the waterenergy-food (WEF) security nexus into policies and institutions in Egypt and Jordan. GIZ, GFA. McDaid, David et al. (2012): Intersectoral Governance and Health in All Policies, Eurohealth. Otte, Franziska (2016): The Energy-Water-Food Nexus in the League of Arab States? - In what institutional structure could the nexus be anchored within LAS?, Regional Program Adaptation to Climate Change in the Water Sector in the MENA Region (ACCWaM), GIZ. 31

39 Annex 1 - List of Interviewees A list of the interviewees consulted during missions in October and December, Jamila Mator, Head of Energy Department Shahira Wahbi, Deputy Head of Energy Department Dr. Bahgat M. Aboelnasr, Head of Economic Studies Research Division Dr. Hammou Laamrani, Water Department Nada El Agizy, Director, Sustainable Development and International Cooperation Dr. Mohammed At-Twaijri, Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs Dr. Hussein Ahssan, Secretary General, Arab Water Council Dr. Djamel Eddine Djaballah, Minister plenipotentiary, Environment, Housing, and Water Resources, Economic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Zakaria, Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, Cairo Office Hagar El Didi, Senior Research Assistant at IFPRI Dr. Clemens Breisinger, Country Programme Leader, Senior Research Fellow at IFPRI Ashraf Kraidy, Senior Advisor to the Energy Department 32

40 Annex 2: Institutions and Stakeholder Involved in Strategy Development INSTITUTIONS AND STAKEHOLDER INVOLVED IN STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT Strategy Ministerial Committee and Executive Bureau Technical Secretariat LAS Specialized Organisations/ Staff involved Arab Strategy for Water Security in the Arab Region to Meet the Challenges and Future Needs for Sustainable Development Arab Ministerial Council on water (AMWC) General Assembly Executive Bureau Technical Secretariat hosted by the Unit for Sustainable development and multilateral relations of the LAS Department for environment, housing, and water resources) Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) The Center of Water Studies and Arab Water Security Pan Arab Strategy for the Development of Renewable Energy Applications ( ) Arab Ministerial Council for Electricity (AMCE) Executive bureau (EB) consisting of eight ministers (meeting once a year) Technical Secretariat hosted at LAS Department of Energy Part of the committee of experts Strategy for Sustainable Arab Agricultural Development (2007) General assembly of Arab Ministers for Agriculture (GAAMA) AOAD administration (there is no specialised technical secretariat at LAS headquater) Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) (Specialized Council consisting of Arab ministers of Agriculture) AOAD staff in a multidisciplinary team of Arab experts (core team) AOAD specialized permanent committees The Arab Plan of Action to deal with Climate Change (APACC) The Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020 (ASDRR) (2010) Arab Strategy on Sustainable Consumption and Production (2009) (SSCP) Arab Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development ( ) (follow-up to earlier Sustainable Development Initiative in the Arab Region (SDIAR) 11 Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs (CAMRE) AOAD involved in the development of APACC Technical secretariat of CAMRE hosted by the Unit for Environment of the LAS Department for environment, housing, and water resources) Executive bureau (meeting twice a year) Joint Committee on Environment and Development in the Arab Region (JCEDAR) reporting to the EB (preparation of SSCP) DRR: Regional Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction Training and Research (RCDRR) 11 Change of name was aproved by CAMRE in

41 INSTITUTIONS AND STAKEHOLDER INVOLVED IN STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT Technical Expert Committees Process Experts of Arab regional and international organizations. Incl. e.g. UNESCO Arab Water Council FAO International Centre for Saline Agriculture AMWC commissioned ACSAD to draft the strategy, Circulation by the Technical Secretariat of the Council, to review and coordinate feedback from Arab States and from Arab regional and international organizations concerned with the topic. Presentation of strategy to the 1 st meeting of the Executive Bureau in Cairo Committee of experts from Arab States and organizations for amendments Final adoption of draft by the AMWC Discussion of comments from member states through the Consultative and Scientific Technical Committee at a senior level of responsibility Committee of Experts on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency incl. e.g. : Arabian Industrial Development and Mining Organization AIDMO, UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia ESCWA, Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE), UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Arab Union of Electricity (AUE) Secretariat of AMCE responsible entity Recommendations and adoption by the 3rd Arab Economic and Social Development Summit (Arab ESD Summit) (held in Riyadh, Jan 21st 22nd 2013 AMCE to prepare action programme for implementation of strategy Reporting to the ECOSOC The EB of AMCE assigned the Committee of Experts on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and the sub-committee Arab country representatives and Arab and regional organizations concerned with the topics The strategy was drafted by AOAD staff in a multi-disciplinary team of Arab experts (core team) that have been involved at various stages of the document preparation Reporting to the ESC The results of the core team s work were presented in 2006 to the AOAD specialized permanent committees: the Agriculture and Water Committee, the Natural and Environmental Resources APACC: Leading partners in consultative meetings: AOAD, Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERSGA), Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT), World Meteorological Organization/Regional Office for West Asia (WMO/ROWA), - ESCWA, UNEP/ Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA), International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), ACSAD ASDRR: United Nations secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) with contributions from the UN secretariat and specialized agencies, Arab technical organizations, the International Federation for Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, and the World Bank Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) SSCP: UNEP/ROWA, ESCWA, in collaboration with United Nation Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and UAE Federal Environmental Authority SDIAR: International, regional and Arab organizations Reporting to the ECOSOC 34

42 INSTITUTIONS AND STAKEHOLDER INVOLVED IN STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT Technical Secretariat: ask for final comments of member states and final approval. Follow-up activities: proposal ACSAD would function as a coordination, follow-up unit and to be the technical arm of the TS of the Arab Ministerial Water Council and its Executive Bureau and working under their supervision AMWC oversee implementation of this Strategy in coordination with LAS Secretariat &ECOSOC of the Council for further research on certain topics The EB assigned the committee to draft concrete action plan Follow-up activities: International, regional, Arab and national financing funds and corporations are requested to provide the financial support Private sector is invited to contribute Committee, and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Committee 35

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