News & Event

The Sultanate of Oman is hosting the first regional meeting of the national committees of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Program for the Arab Gulf States. The meeting was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources and the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, in cooperation with the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Oman Water Week, and was attended by Dr. Salah Khaled, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, members, and representatives of the national committees of the program in the Gulf States, water management officials and experts, and representatives of major regional and international organizations working in the field of water resources management and sustainability.

The two-day meeting aims to strengthen the role of the International Hydrological Program (IHP) national committees, identify their needs, align the IHP's 11^th Plan with the GCC Unified Water Strategy (2015-2035), discuss common challenges in GCC countries, such as water scarcity and water pollution, and seek sustainable solutions. It also aims to raise public awareness of the importance of conserving water resources and benefit from the experiences of other Gulf countries, especially those that have made significant strides in the field of water resources, with the aim of mitigating water-related risks.

During the meeting, Dr. Mahmoud bin Abdullah Al-Abri, Secretary of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, delivered a speech in which he referred to the Gulf strategy, joint measures and policies, legislation and laws in the field of water, to enhance the means, ways and steps capable of meeting the challenge of the increasing demand for water, and achieving water security in the GCC countries, including the “Executive Plan for the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries for the period 2015-2035.”

He added: "The Sultanate of Oman has made strenuous efforts in the field of independent regulation of the water sector, and has issued numerous laws and regulations that ensure the management and governance of this sector in line with the Sultanate of Oman's orientations to achieve Oman Vision 2040, with the aim of keeping pace with the growing demand for water in our country, ensuring the quality of services provided to consumers, keeping pace with global developments in water sector governance, and maximizing its regulatory and developmental role."

In concluding his speech, he commended the steps taken by UNESCO to address national, regional, and global water challenges and build a sustainable and resilient society by expanding scientific understanding of water, improving technical capabilities, and enhancing education. UNESCO has also prepared the Intergovernmental Hydrological Program's Strategic Plan for Phase 9 (2022-2029).