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The prospect for an Arab Water Vision, in respect to
concepts and main strategic components, implies a critical
review of the previous endeavors towards sustainable water
resources development, and identifying the constraints,
which impeded their adequate implementation, in order to
learn lessons and to be used as constructive guidelines.
In view of the above, the Arab Water Vision includes the
following approaches and trends.
1. Vision for
Optimizing Water Resources Supplies:
a. Necessity
for reaching adequate agreements between riparian countries.
b. Need for
exploring all natural water resources, specifically in
respect to; deep groundwater reservoirs, geomorphic drainage
basins.
c. Possibility
for inter-basin transfer
d. Possibility
for artificial recharge of groundwater reservoirs.
e. Suitability
of climatic conditions for rainfed irrigation.
f. Assessment
of water import ../rcwe/projects_including_icebergs_transfer.css; and,
g. Promoting
the use of non-conventional water resources; reuse of
agricultural drainage water; treatment and reuse of sanitary
wastewater; desalination processes; use of brackish and sea
water in agriculture; and possibilities for rain seeding.
2. Vision for
Rationalizing Water Resources Demands:
a. Relevance
of absolute or relative water and food security concept and
its relation to food self-satisfaction.
b. Reform and
modification of irrigation practices.
c.
Identification of Agricultural appraisal.
d. Views on
water allocation to industry.
e. Views on
water allocated to domestic usages.
3. Vision for
Water Conservation and Protection:
a. Impacts of
globalization, privatization and open market trends.
b. Concepts
and impacts of water pricing.
c. Adequate
allocation of water resources.
d. Measures
for water resources protection; and,
e. Impact of
global climate changes.
4. Vision for
supporting institutional and legislative frameworks:
a. Need for a
common regional policy
b. Necessity
for the provision of sufficient financial resources.
c. Need for
governance and institutional reforms.
d. Adequate
performance and functions for capacity building
e. Promotion
of public awareness; and,
f. Revision
and modifying of legislative rules, laws and regulations.
Meanwhile, it should be stressed that the
regional water vision should focus on innovative approaches
leading ultimately to a better situation of the water sector
in the region with an economically sound and environmentally
safe vision. In this regard, the continuous advancement in
science and technology will constitute the driving power and
tool for achieving the targeted water vision.
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