Educational institute IHE Delft announces new funding for two regional projects to train water professionals in small island states and in Middle East North African (MENA) countries on how to deal with complex water-issues. 

The two projects are funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to strengthen capacity in the regional water sector to help meet the water-related SDGs.

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Capital Male of Maldives sitting in the middle of the Indian ocean
Capital Male of small island state Maldives sitting in the middle of the Indian ocean. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
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Capital Male of Maldives sitting in the middle of the Indian ocean
Capital Male of small island state Maldives sitting in the middle of the Indian ocean. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Complex water issues

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have their own particular vulnerabilities and characteristics, that make the water and development difficulties they face in the pursuit of sustainable development particularly severe and complex. 

Under the SIDS programme, IHE Delft will provide high level, targeted training to professionals. The core activity will be the training of 24 professionals in one of the water and environment-related MSc specializations at IHE Delft in the Netherlands.

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Dubai on the edge of the desert
Dubai surrounded by desert on one side and salt sea water on the other side. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
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Dubai on the edge of the desert
Dubai surrounded by desert on one side and salt sea water on the other side. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Water scarcity

Countries in the MENA region are listed among the world’s highest water stressed countries, with the least renewable water resources per capita. Many of the MENA countries depend heavily on already depleting groundwater resources and on desalinated sea water. Water scarcity is a long known issue in the region, but it has been exacerbated by adverse impacts of climate change, increased population, conflict-inflicted internal displacement and refugee crises.

IHE’s capacity development programme focusses specifically on water scarcity and challenges in achieving related SDGs in the region. Similar to SIDS, the core activity of MENA will be the training of 32 professionals in one of the water, environment and development related MSc specializations at IHE Delft (read more about MENA-CD fellowships).

Countries eligible for the full MSc level fellowship under this programme are Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, and Yemen. 

Special conference on capacity building

On May 27-29, 2020, IHE Delft organizes the symposium 'From Capacity Development to Implementation Science'

This is its 6th international symposium on knowledge and capacity development for the water sector, in cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and South African water utility Rand Water.

IHE Delft student Adele Young from small island state Trinidad & Tobago explains that more is needed than just civil engineering to cope with the water issues in her country.
This news item was originally published on the website of IHE Delft