Arab Countries Set Up Water Utilities Association

With GTZ support, representatives of nine Arab countries have established the first regional association for water supply and sanitation services. The Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA) was launched at the end of April in Abu Dhabi.

Cooperation at the regional level in the Middle East plays a key role in meeting the challenges posed in the water sector. The association has so far been joined by Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, the Palestinian Territories and the United Arab Emirates. The focus at the outset will be on exchanging experience, standardisation and performance comparisons. In addition, work groups address the topics of capacity development, wastewater recycling, and cooperation with the private sector.
 
GTZ supports the association through a regional project based in the United Nations Economic and Social Council for Western Asia (ESCWA) in Beirut. The German Association for Water Management, Wastewater and Waste (DWA) will also help in forming the association. In the medium term, the association is to become an independent organisation for dealing with water issues in the region.
 
Six water utilities in Yemen have applied for membership in ACWUA. The Yemeni-German Technical Cooperation Water Sector Program will support the water utilities in joining ACWUA and in making use of the regional network.

Further information at www.acwua.org

May 2007