ICBA to help Bahrain’s NOGA strengthen national capacity in water management

The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) of the Kingdom of Bahrain have joined forces to enhance institutional capacities in integrated water resources management in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

ICBA and NOGA inked an agreement to this effect during a virtual meeting hosted by NOGA on 24 June 2021.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Tarifa Alzaabi, Acting Director General of ICBA, and Mr. Nasser Sultan Al-Suwaidi, CEO of NOGA, in the presence of various partners and stakeholders.

Under the agreement, ICBA will provide technical support for ongoing activities to strengthen the Water Resources Council (WRC). Chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the WRC is a Cabinet-level inter-ministerial organ of the government responsible for coordinating water policy formulation and implementation. The activities under the agreement will broaden the WRC’s functions and enhance its role in climate risk management and wastewater recycling, treatment and reuse.

Commenting on the agreement, Dr. Tarifa Alzaabi, Acting Director General of ICBA, said: “Improving water accountability, water-use efficiency and water conservation are necessary conditions for achieving water security. A key entry point is applying the principles of integrated water resources management to holistically balance competing demands for water. This forms the basis for sustainable utilization of water resources for both current and future needs.”

Dr. Tarifa Alzaabi added: “We are delighted to sign this agreement with NOGA to contribute to the Kingdom of Bahrain’s ongoing efforts to develop a climate-resilient water sector. The particular component on capacity development in integrated water resources management plays to our strengths as an organization.”

H.E. Mr. Nasser Sultan Al-Suwaidi, CEO of NOGA, said: “This agreement was signed in the context of the Kingdom’s water sector development, with the project’s scope including the development of institutional capacities of government sector employees in integrated water resource management (IWRM), which will aid in the management of water resources as a whole, which is considered one integrated network.”

H.E. Mr. Nasser Sultan Al-Suwaidi praised the depth of the historical bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UAE and common historical ties between the two brotherly countries, stressing the importance of the distinguished bilateral relations in various fields and the desire of the two countries today to develop these relations to the maximum extent of integration.

The agreement was signed in the context of strengthening the institutional capacities of Bahrain’s government departments to implement climate change adaptation strategies across the water sector.

The overarching goal is to equip relevant institutions with the means to conduct water resources monitoring and assessments; generate information and knowledge using relevant analytical tools and models; and provide evidence to support decision-making processes.

The partnership between ICBA and NOGA is part of the project titled “Development of an Enabling Environment for Water Demand Management”, which is supported by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and is implemented by the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain through NOGA.