Establishing of a WEFE Nexus Hub for MENA:

Funded by UfM and SIDA

The water, energy, food security and ecosystem challenges in MENA produced a low WEFE nexus Index of 41. This is due to a score of 41.9 in water, 39.1 energy, 52.7 food security, and 42.8 ecosystem. This is compared to a score of 70 for most EU countries highlights the substantial gap that the MENA region needs to close.

To overcome these challenges, an improved understanding of the challenges must be achieved by decision makers in the region. Such understanding should be supplemented by improved policy and regulatory frameworks at the national and cross-national levels and improved technical skills for practitioners throughout MENA.

To create for an efficient and an effective process, enhanced channels of communication and regional dialogue combined with utility of existing state-of-the-practice from other parts of the world are of essence. Additionally, a better understanding of the existing policy and regulatory framework in MENA is required to define related challenges and requirement to overcome them.

 

The Hub is envisaged to include three inter-related components; namely, knowledge hub, project generation (identification), and project implementation. Further, given the limited public financial resources, and in line with international best practice, involvement of the private sector is envisaged as a part of solution to the inadequate investment opportunities. This is in addition to the impact of the private sector on innovation and job creation through entrepreneurships in these sectors. The following figure, and subsequent discussion, summarizes the three components of the WEFE Nexus Hub.

Figure 1: INWRDAM WEFE Nexus Hub

Overall Objective

The overall objective of this project is to enhance the management of water, energy and food security within the MENA region ensuring socio-economic and environmental sustainability.

Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of this project include the following:

• Institutionalize the WEFE Nexus approach within INWRDAN through a stakeholder participatory process.
• WEFE Nexus policy development and advocacy.
• Build Capacities in the MENA region in the area of WEFE Nexus approach.

Operationalization of the Nexus approach through pilots, including potential role for the private sector