Workshop on Water Mnagement and Knowledge Sharing UNEP-GEMS/Water and Eye on Water Security / R-KNOW: Water Management and Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment in the Arab Region

Objectives:

a)      To identify prevailing challenges at national and regional levels in water quality data acquisition and sharing, monitoring, assessment and reporting; taking into account the 2011 Arab Water Strategy.

b)     To raise awareness about the GEMS/Water Programme, its network and database – increase participation of GCC countries and the Arab region in the Global Network and the submission of raw data to the GEMStat database;

c)      To determine the level of technical support, expertise and advice in water quality analysis to laboratories required in these countries;

d)     To raise awareness and reinforce collaboration and networking among relevant water quality monitoring activities globally and regionally, particularly with the Eye on Water Security special initiative.

e)      Discussion to solicit ideas for project proposals concept that will support Eye on Water Security special initiative.

f)      To raise awareness about the Regional Knowledge Network on Water (R-KNOW), its four themes and the portal

g)       and create synergies  and opportunities for networking and joint actions

Expected outcomes:

• Identification of priority challenges and obstacles to acquiring and sharing national level water quality data, and options to overcome them;
• Identifications of project concept proposals to present in EoE 2015
• Awareness of GEMS/Water network and database – better understanding of benefits and requirements
• Renewed commitment from (participating) regional and national water institutions to the GEMS/Water programme and network, and engagement in the Eye on Water Security special initiative
• Increased communication and sharing of information and experiences amongst members of the network in the region (and beyond)
• Partnerships with international and regional water quality monitoring programmes and networks.
• Agreement on next steps (which could be: build a database of experts in the region; expand registry of members to include other sources of water quality data; build a list/database with inputs from focal points and others for potential sources of funding, matching interests with organisations;  
• Awareness on R-KNOW and its four themes
• Awareness on the water, energy and food Nexus
• Opportunities for networking and invitation of new members (knowledge nodes) to R-KNOW
• Enhancement of  inter linkages and synergies  by increasing exchange  of up-to-date water through partnership & supporting the process of making informed decision and making data accessible through capacity building ;
• Improved cooperation and synergy among all entities involved