“International Workshop on “Climate Change and Sustainable Water Resources Management in the   OIC Member Countries”

On December 3^rd – 4^th, 2024

Venue:  COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Organized by: COMSTECH Secretariat

with the cooperation of Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) and the
International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Technical Committee:

• Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, Science and Policy Advisor, International Water Management Institute(IWMI), Pakistan
• Dr.  Hifza Rasheed, Director General (WQ), Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, (PCRWR), Islamabad, Pakistan
• Dr.  Mohsin Hafeez, Director, Water, Food and Ecosystems, International Water Management Institute(IWMI), Pakistan
• Dr. Kamran Ansari, Professor & Director, U.S.-Pakistan Center for   Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W), Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, Pakistan

Organizing Committee: 

• Focal Person:                    Prof. Dr. S. Khurshid Hasanain

                                          Adviser COMSTECH

• Workshop coordinator: Ms. Khazima Muazim, Programme Manager, COMSTECH

• Members:                        Mr. Aftab Hussain Zaidi

                              Senior Director HR & Administration COMSTECH

Mr. Mujeeb-ur-Rehman
Senior Director Finance & Accounts COMSTECH

Mr. Naveed Aamer
General Manager Hospitality COMSTECH

Mr. Usman Quddus Malik
Assistant Director (IT) COMSTECH

Mr. Ikram Abbasi
Sr. Programme Manager COMSTECH

Mr. Umer Ali
Programme Officer COMSTECH

Mr. Muhammad Jamil
PS COMSTECH

Mr. Rizwan Raza
Admin Officer COMSTECH

Mr. Shabbir Hussain
Media Coordinator COMSTECH

International Resource Persons

Dr Amgad ELmahdi
Regional Manager – Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Egypt
Green Climate Fund-GCF

Prof Shatanawi Muhammad
UNESCO Chairholder, Jordan
Chairing the water sector committee (an advisory body),
Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST), Jordan

Dr. Majid Labbaf Khaneiki
Assistant Professor, University of Nizwa, Oman
UNESCO Chair on Aflaj Studies (Archaeo-Hydrology)

Dr. Daler Domullodzhanov
International Water and Land Specialist,
FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia; 36,
Giprozem, app 90, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

• Background:

OIC Member States face enormous challenges in water-related issues such as: limited water availability, ensuring access to water and sanitation services, balancing water use and food production, access to finance, trans-boundary waters, and climate changes.  The counter this emerging challenge. OIC water vision was adopted in 2012. The OIC Water Vision envisioned exchange and knowledge sharing through peer networks and knowledge hubs as a mean to address the water challenges OIC countries face.

The OIC Water Vision aims to catalyze improved water security in OIC countries through connecting centers of excellence within the OIC in water science, policy, management and technology development; identifying solutions to water problems through increased dialogue and exchange of experience; and promoting solutions to water security challenges in the national and international agendas of OIC leaders.

Following up the OIC water vision, the STI Agenda 2026 and Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted respectively by the First and Second OIC Science and Technology Summits held in Astana in September 2017 and –virtually- in Abu Dhabi 2022, urged building the collective competence and strengthening working linkages between Member States to face water challenges. This international workshop and networking meeting of OIC Centre of Excellence on Water are continuation of OIC commitment to water issue. Main objective of this workshop and networking meeting are as following.

• Main objectives:
• Focus on the emerging challenges for water availability due to climate change and the policies and technologies needed for confronting those challenges.
• To connect Centers of Excellences and institutions within the OIC Member States working on  water-related issues;
• Provide platform for experts to exchange the knowledge, share information, case studies, experiences and best practices;
• Spread knowledge, facilitate dialogue and explore opportunities to conduct joint research to address water related challenges;
• Conduct advocacy and policy dialogue among the Centers of Excellence through synergies and interlinkages.

Scope of the International Workshop and the Networking Meeting of Water Research Institutes in OIC Member States

1. The International Workshop on the “Climate Change and Sustainable Water Resources Management in OIC Member Countries” would Focus on the following three major themes:
2. Theme 1: Climate Change and Sustainable Water Resources Management
3. Integrated water resources management
4. Water-Energy-Food Nexus in a changing climate
5. Climate smart on-farm water management
6. Dryland agriculture: potential and challenges
7. Sustainable Development Goal 6 – where do we stand?

• Theme 2: Role of Better Governance in Water Resources Management
• Emerging water governance challenges
• Transboundary water resources management – challenges and opportunities
• Setting up future priorities for water research, knowledge, and innovation
• Investment and cross-sectoral synergies for better water governance
• Theme 3: Sustainable Use of Non-Conventional Water Resources
• Wastewater – challenges and opportunities
• Wastewater treatment and recycling options
• Desalinized seawater and saline groundwater
• Use agricultural drainage water

• First Meeting of Networking of the Water Research Institutes in OIC Member States. (Postponed)

This part of the activity would concentrate on introducing the activities and foci of interest of the various centres, establishing linkages between them for formal cooperation, exchanges of personnel and data, planning ahead for coordination of national policies, sharing knowledge of best practices and of the emerging challenges to the water resources in the face of climate change.

• Participation and Expected Audience:
• The participants of the Workshop will include besides foreign experts, local water scientists and professionals, climate change experts, academics and students. All are welcome to apply.
• The OIC Networking meeting will be attended by heads of institutions/ experts/scientists of the Water Research Institutions and training centers, and leading scientific organizations of the OIC Member States working on various water-related issues.   (By invitation only)

Flyer: Click Here

Detailed Concept Note can be found at: Click Here

Detailed Technical Program:    ———TBA—————-

To attend the event register at: Click Here

•     For any further queries Contact:
• Ms. Khazima Muazim, Programme Manager, khazima@comstecg.org
• Mr. Muhammad Jamil, Personal Secretary, mjamil@comstech.org
• Tel: (+92 51) 9220681-3