Jovanka Ignjatovic,project managerfor the WATERPOrT componentof WATER SUM,has been involvedin the water sectorfor over 25 years,but she is still

amazed by the many ways thatwater influences humanity.

“Water professionals are verycommitted people who frequentlywork behind the scenes,” saysIgnjatovic, “but their impact ondaily lives is enormous.”

WATER POrT aims to build skillsand transfer knowledge related tointegrated water resourcesmanagement (IWRM) and climatechange adaptation.

“Achieving common understandingof the needs of water practitionersand stakeholders is pivotal toWATER POrT’s objectives,” stressesIgnjatovic. “The MENA regionshould make use of its comparativeadvantages in natural, human,technological and financialresources to achieve water

sustainability. WATER POrT ispropping up these underlyingstrengths and pairing them withprocesses and methodologies thatare also helping to address pressingsituations across the region.”

Getting connectedWATER POrT’s national andregional activities actively seeklinks and interactions with selectedprojects across the MENA region.

“Our current focal countries areJordan and Tunisia, where we haveidentified demonstration sites forcarrying out activities,” the projectmanager explains. “Other countries,such as Egypt, Morocco andAlgeria, are invited to take part inour cross-cutting regional eventsand workshops. Cooperativedialogue on water issues can helpbring peaceful development to theregion and a sustainable future withwater for all.” ●

Jovanka Ignjatovic is a watermanagement engineer specialising inhydrology, water quality modelling andenvironmental management, and isleader of the REC’s Water Managementtopic area.

Making a differenceJovanka Ignjatovic draws from deep experience

issue 1 march 2016

VITAL RIVERS: Tunisia’s Medjerda, Jordan’s Yarmouk

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HONING SKILLS: Workshop and training highlights

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newsletter of the waterport component of the WATER SUM project

The WATER SUM projectsupports the MENA region andits water stakeholders byadvancing water management atnational and local levels, bypromoting the more sustainableuse of water resources, and byshoring up regional cooperationand engagement. The projectwas developed in accordancewith the Swedish Government’sinternational development policy,and we hope that these effortswill assist stakeholders in craftinga strategic approach leading toviable solutions.

We have always stressed theimportance of bridging effortsand the mutual transfer ofknowledge and good practicesbetween countries in the MENAregion and other states andregions. WATER SUM has thepotential to catalyse an alreadyvisible change of perspective onwater issues. Sharingresponsibility is the key tomanaging the region’s waterresources more efficiently andharmoniously at all levels. ●

Radoje Lausevic is WATER SUMProject Director and REC DeputyExecutive Director.

Message from theproject director

LEARNING CURVES:Countries in the MENAregion have much toteach each otherregarding waterresources management.

profile

issue 1 march 20162

Setting the learning sceneDemonstration sites provide concrete knowledge and practical experiencerelated to the IWRM approach, water sustainability, climate changeadaptation and other actions linked to WATER POrT objectives.

TUNISIA

Medjerda River BasinThe Medjerda River is the most importantwatercourse in Tunisia. It originates in thesemi-arid Atlas Mountains of eastern Algeria at an elevation of 1,408 m and

flows north-eastwards for 460 km before emptying into theMediterranean Sea (Gulf ofTunis). The Medjerda’s catchment area covers around 24,000 km2,of which 16,300 km2 (69 percent) lie in Tunisia. The MedjerdaRiver Basin covers approximately 10 percent of Tunisia’s territory.

The river and its tributaries provide valuable irrigation water forsurrounding plains through a complex system of greater dams,hill dams and channels. The channels also support the transportand supply of water to higher-density areas such as Tunis and its

surroundings.

Targeted WATER POrT activities will be carried out within the delimiteddemonstration site area lying within Tunisia’s Medjerda River Basin between thedownstream point marked by the Sidi Salem dam and the upstream point up tothe Ghardimaou hydrological station.

DEMONSTRATION SITE FACTS

Site area: Watershed of the Medjerda River section betweenthe Sidi Salem dam (148.5 km) and the Ghardimaou hydrologicalstation (313.5 km) close to the Algerian borderMain tributaries within the site:(left tributaries) Raghai, BouHeurtma, Kasseb, Beja, Zerga;(right tributaries) Tessa, Mellegue,MlizLength of river section: 167 kmGovernorates: Kef, Jendouba, BejaMain water usage: Agriculture, domestic water supplyHydraulic infrastructure: (five dams) Sidi Salem, Kasseb,Bou Heurtma, Beni M’Tir, MellegueHydrological stations: Ghardimaou, Jendouba, Bou Salem, Sidi SalemMain wastewater treatment plants:Ghardimaou, Bou Salem, Jendouba

JORDAN

Yarmouk River BasinThe Yarmouk River is the biggest tributary ofthe Jordan River. From its source in Lake Mzareeb, Syria, where it draws from the Hauran Plateau and Mt. Hermon (Jabal AlShaikh), it joins the Jordan River near Adassiyain Jordan at an elevation of 200 m below sealevel, forming the boundary between Israeland Jordan. It then flows with the Jordan downstream to Lake Tiberias (the Sea ofGalilee), which forms the boundary between Syria to the north and Jor-dan in the south. The Yarmouk River Basin covers approximately 1.5percent of Jordan’s territory.

The total length of the Yarmouk River is 57 km, of which 47 kmforms the border between Jordan and Syria, while the remainderflows in Syria only. The total catchment area of the river is 6,780 km2, of which 1,426 km2 (20 percent) are in Jordan.

Targeted WATER POrT activities will be carried out within the delimited demonstration site area lying within the JordanianYarmouk River Basin between the upstream point in Ajloun area(1,200 m above sea level) and the downstream point near the Adassiya diversion weir (200 m below sea level).

DEMONSTRATION SITE FACTS

Site area: Yarmouk River Basin between the upstream point in the Ajloun area and the down-stream point near the Adassiya diversion weirMain tributaries within the site:Al-Shallaleh, Al-ShumarLength of river section: 47 kmGovernorates: Irbid, Mafraq, Jerash, AjlounMain water usage: Agriculture, domestic water supplyHydraulic infrastructure: Wehdahdam, Adassiya diversion weirHydrological stations: 1 climato-logical station, 18 rainfall stations, 2 runoff stations, in addition to theAdassiya diversion weirMain wastewater treatment plants:Ramtha, Al-Shallaleh, Mafraq, Wadi Hassan, Al-Akaider (for indus-trial waste)

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in action

The WATER POrT team conductedthe training “Integrated WaterResources Management (IWRM) andLinks to the WATER POrT ProjectComponent” at the head office ofthe Regional Environmental Center(REC) in Szentendre, Hungary. Thetraining, which took place onJanuary 19–28, 2016, targeted youngwater management experts andrepresentatives of national waterauthorities, institutions and NGOsfrom the MENA region, particularlyfrom Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia.

The training event covered a wide

range of subjects, such as IWRM

practices, shared water resources,

climate change, water-related

diplomacy, and stakeholderdialogue.

Participants held dynamicdiscussions and shared experienceswith the REC’s own experts, which,combined with case studies andstudy visits, made it possible toidentify links between MENA-related water issues, WATER POrTactions, and the application ofmanagement and governance toolsto concrete situations in theproject’s target countries.

One of the highlights of the trainingwas an exercise in which theparticipants developed a regionalconcept of water diplomacy.

Traineesalso putnewlearninginto practice

when togetherthey defined

water and sectoral integrationpriorities and issues for a nationaladaptation plan for climate change.

Concerning links between water andagriculture, participants and expertshighlighted the need to work closelywith farmers in identifying farmingpractices that use water resourcessustainably. It was also suggestedthat future training activities andprojects address this topic. ●

The complete training agenda, photos,presentations and other materials canbe found on the WATER POrT websitetraining page.

Comprehensive training boostsskills of water professionals

NORTHERN EXPOSURE:Training participants duringa study visit to a watermanagement facility.

issue 1 march 2016

World Water Week is theglobal focal point for theplanet’s most pressingwater-related challenges,drawing 3,000-plus par-ticipants to Stockholmeach year.

In 2016, a diverse set ofactors will explore new

perspectives and ideas related to “Water for Sustainable Growth”.There will also be a general discussion on thenew climate agreementand water-related SDGs.Starting from this year, the MENA region will behighlighted through thededicated “MENA Regional Focus Day”.

As part of this focus day,the WATER SUM project isorganising the MENA

Water World Café 2016, tobring together leadersrepresenting central andlocal governments, re-gional bodies, NGOs, aca-demia and businessesfrom the region. We antici-pate lively discussions in apleasant atmosphere on arange of topics that arealso linked to the keythemes of the WATERPOrT project component.

The event will be a follow-up to last year’s event, the

MENA Water World Café2015. Among the conclu-sions reached last yearwere that the water sectorin the MENA region needsbetter governance, adeeper consideration ofclimate change issues, andbetter cooperation be-tween water authorities. ●

For a detailed summary ofkey conclusions, please visitthe project website. We lookforward to seeing you atWater World Café 2016!

Around the bend: World Water Week 2016

Communication and cooperation

are the way to solveissues and achievesustainability of water resources.

The WATER SUM project is benefiting daily from an increasingly credible andimpactful online presence. A recent facelift and revamp now makes it easier tofollow WATER SUM’s progress, including bespoke actions falling under each of thetwo project components (WATER POrT and WaSe). The WATER SUM website nowfunctions as a dynamic, attractive instrument that ensures clarity and integrationwith the project’s social media tools, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

The website area dedicated to the WATER POrT project component has beenmeaningfully reshaped to conform to its original twofold goal of disseminatinginformation on the component’s progress, while at the same time facilitatingdiscussion, interaction, cooperation and the sharing of knowledge among thosepractitioners and citizens active in the water sector across the MENA region.

The WATER POrT team has introduced sub-areas to which training summariesand materials — as well as resources and publications — will be uploadedregularly, both for consultation and for reaching a broader audience.

With the creation of the WATER POrT Forum — a space for dialogue, reflection anddiscussion — we hope to encourage institutions, NGOs, policy makers, thoseworking in the water sector, and the general public, to come together on complexwater issues affecting the MENA region and beyond. ●

We are keen to hear your impressions of the website’s new look and feel. Please write to us atwaterport_watersum@rec.org, or send a message through one of our social media channels.

WATER SUM website features fresh look, new components

moving forward

issue 1 march 20164

editors: Jovanka Ignjatovic •Valerio Ponzocontributors: Adel Alobeiaat •Jefferson Andrade • Ala Jlassi •Raouf Khalifa • Imola Koszta •Doha Zamel design and layout: Sylvia Magyar copyediting and proofreading:Rachel Hideg • Nathan Johnsonphotographs: Imola Koszta •Valerio Ponzo • REC partnerspublisher: Regional EnvironmentalCenter (REC)

The POrTal newsletter provides anoverview of the events andactivities carried out within theregional project Sustainable Use ofTransboundary Water Resourcesand Water Security Management(WATER SUM), with an in-depthfocus on its Water ResourcesManagement Good Practices andKnowledge Transfer (WATER POrT)project component. POrTal alsoincludes news and tools related tobuilding skills and transferring

knowledge on integrated waterresources management (IWRM),stakeholder dialogue, and climatechange adaptation across theMENA region.

newsletter of the waterport componentof the WATER SUM project

watersum.rec.org

issue 1 march 2016

March 22, 2016World Water Day

March–April 2016WATER POrT Missions toDemonstration Sites

• Jordan | TunisiaApril 22, 2016Earth Day | WATER POrT: PhotoWinners Announcement

April 26–28, 2016WATER SUM: Annual ConferenceWater, Growth and Stability

• Szentendre, HungaryApril 28, 2016WATER SUM: Second RegionalSteering Committee Meeting

• Szentendre, HungaryApril–June 2016WATER POrT: Capacity Building forMonitoring of Water Quality

• Jordan | TunisiaJune 5, 2016World Environment Day

May–July 2016WATER POrT: Capacity Building forWater Demand Approach

• Jordan | TunisiaMay–July 2016WATER POrT: Capacity Building for Water Resources Management in a Changing Climate

• Jordan | TunisiaJune–July 2016WATER POrT: Feasibility Studies for Optimising Surface Water and Groundwater Monitoring atDemonstration Sites

• Jordan | TunisiaAugust 2016WATER POrT: Regional Workshop on Data Processing and Exchange

• TBDAugust 30, 2016World Water Week 2016MENA Focus Day + Water World Café 2016: Water, Growth and Stability

• Stockholm, SwedenFor final dates please check our onlinecalendar.

The newly re-crafted WATER SUMwebsite makes it easier to stay abreast ofproject activities and achievements.

of

WATER POrT facilitates

discussion, interaction,cooperation and

knowledge sharingacross the

MENA region.

Thewe

PhotocompetitionPeople & Water: Jordan and TunisiaAccepting entries now!Deadline: April 15, 2016 (Jordan)

April 30, 2016 (Tunisia)

To get the latest WATER POrT newssubscribe on our website

COMING UP