The World Water Forum, organized every three years by the World Water Council in close collaboration with the authorities of the hosting country, is the largest international event in the field of water. It primarily serves four main purposes:

 

The WWF5 preparation consists of thematic, regional and political processes which are integrated during the development of the Forum. The regional processes will produce regional documents that are fed by and that will feed the thematic and political preparatory processes and the discussions in the Forum.

 

WaDImena was -and still is- involved extensively in the MENA/Arab Region’s preparatory process by providing significant technical and political input during preparatory meetings, engaging in the Forum blog and through e-mail exchanges.

 

Dr. Hammou Laamrani, WaDImena Project Coordinator, is one of 26 members in the regional consortium responsible for the region’s contribution to the Forum.

 

He is the lead author of chapter 3 of the regional report “Bridging the gap between the poor and the rich”, which will be presented by the region at the Forum.

 

Dr. Hammou also participated in the series of regional preparatory meetings and events held during the past year, including the WWF5 Topic Coordination Meeting held in Istanbul in February 2008.

 

WaDImena was able to engage in topic papers coordination in theme four on “Governance and Management” and contribute to the topic agenda through two topic coordination groups.

 

Dr. Hammou had also participated in two preparatory meeting organized by the AWC in Egypt in March and June 2008.

 

Through synergies with key partners in MENA and compilation of necessary information, WaDImena was able to facilitate ideas for IDRC and WaDImena’s effective participation at the WWF5. 

 

In Stockholm, August 2008, and in Montpellier, September 2008, potential collaboration on the way to Istanbul WWF5 were discussed with key players and Forum organizers such as the Associate Director of the World Water Council and the Director of National Water Agency.

 

The First Arab Water Forum (AWF) is part of the MENA/Arab region preparatory process. It comes only four months before the WWF5. Hence, the AWF focussed on presenting and discussing the progress of the region’s preparatory processes towards the WWF5, for which the AWC acts as the regional coordinator. WaDImena was involved in the preparations for the AWF, and has supported and contributed to the Forum as follows:

 

 

IDRC and other partners are organizing a session under Topic 4.5 - Institutional Arrangements for Efficient and Effective Water Management Session 3 – Enhancing Pro-poor institutional and organizational arrangements through effective water governance and efficient and equitable water management.

 

IDRC-WaDImena will provide support to organizers for supporting the participation of developing country researchers to the meeting and for providing support to an eventual panel featuring our recipients and their work.

 

WaDImena will have an activity in coordination with the Gender and Water Alliance.

 

WaDImena will take part in the IFAD session by presenting research findings of some of its applied research and pilot projects in the region.