• Organization: The Workshop was organized by the Swiss National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South “Research Partnerships for Mitigating Syndromes of Global Change”. This is in cooperation with the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Addis Ababa University; Department of Political Science, Khartoum University; ACORD and the Gender Research Center in Khartoum, and the Regional Center for Studies and Research of Water Ethics in Cairo. 

The Rationale: The perceptions of the population of the Nile Riparian countries with regard to water rights are often diametrically opposed and highly biased in favor of their own respective countries. The workshop has exposed all to the objective realities of each countries situation in order to foster better understanding and to defuse the prevailing confrontational attitudes.

The Approach: The innovative aspect of this workshop is that 10 participants attended from each of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. Participants were Master level students, juniors employees in Water Ministries or Foreign Ministries, employees of Water associations or of water and development NGOs. The workshop had a diverse team from each country (disciplines, institutional backgrounds). A 25%  women representation was achieved. Trainers/facilitators came from each country: Prof Yacob Arsano (Ethiopia), Prof Atta El Batthani (Sudan), Dr. Asha El-Karib (Sudan), Ambassador Magdy Hefny (Egypt), Dr Simon Mason (Switzerland).

Aims: Three main aims were targeted in the course: 1) to increase knowledge on hydropolitical cooperation, 2) to increase skills related to communication, diplomacy, conflict analysis, negotiation and conflict transformation, 3) to understand the different Egyptian, Ethiopian, Sudanese country perceptions, and exchange perspectives.

Side Activities: participants visited the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), the Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office (ENTRO) headquarters in Addis Ababa; where they were familiarized with the various projects and plans of the NBI and the ENTRO. Another visit was paid to the African Union, the department of peace and security; where they were informed of the activities of the department for conserving peace in the continent and resolving conflicts among and between African nations.

Evaluation: After four days of interactive work, the participants are more familiar with each other. As part of networks they will take lessons to their respective countries for a more promising future in the light of cooperation and development.

• First International Conference on “Healthy Water in the Arab World in Cairo, 7-9th

June 2006 organized by Arab Healthy Water Association AHWA. The presented paper

“Water Use ethics: A Tool for Sustainable Water Resources Management in the Arab Region”.

• 26th International Postgraduate Training Course on “Environmental Hydrology for

Arid and Semi Arid Regions” Delta Barrage, Egypt, 7-9th June 2006 organized by the Hydraulics

Research Institute. Participation with a one-day program on “Water ethics”.

• Attended a seminar on “Ethics of the Engineering Profession” Egyptian Engineers Association,

Egypt, 25th June 2006 organized by the Forum for Consultant Engineers.

• Attended and presented Dr. Ibrahim El Fiky in his lecture “Secrets of a Successful Personality” Abdel Hadi Rady Hall, MWRI, 6th June 2006 organized by the MWRI Young Professionals Forum. The lecture outlined several aspects for

success:                    (1) Spiritual aspect: relation between oneself and

God:                          (2) Relating to people: art of communication, self poise,

and helping others:  (3) Planning: innovation, & hard work.

·         The elected council of Governors of the Arab Water Council (AWC) held its first meeting before the 3rd regional Arab Water Conference in Cairo (Dec. 2006). The AWC gave due consideration to support the establishment of the Arab Regional Networks working in the field of water and environment; of which the Arab Network for Water Ethics (ANWE) is handling one of the most important topics.

ANWE became a member of AWC, and it is supervised by a Steering Committee under the umbrella of UNESCO and the AWC. The director of the Regional Center of Research and Studies of Water Ethics (RCWE) acts as coordinator of ANWE.

ANWE proposed a plan of action, within the framework of a Strategy, that includes tasks and prioritized activities for the years 2007 and 2008.

The Strategy document has been communicated to all AWC Governors. It has been also discussed in the meeting of Arab Networks held in Bahrain and organized by UNESCO Cairo Office in cooperation  with the Arabian Gulf University (22nd till 26th March 2007).