Syria’s water resources face multiple challenges resulting from poor management and physical scarcity. The high rate of population growth, rapid urbanization, climate change and economic development is exacerbating these challenges, leading to a continuous deterioration of the water resources that is threatening their long-term sustainability.

Available water quality data clearly reveal that groundwater and surface water pollution is a common phenomenon across the country.

agriculture is the dominant water consumer, with 87% of all water use, and hence the major contributor to the current deficit in the water balance, which has led to groundwater mining and to many springs drying up.

Syria has, like most MENA countries, invested heavily in technology and infrastructure to store and divert water resources and to deliver water services to farmers, industries and households

Low water productivity in agriculture is a major challenge facing water management in Syria. Net returns for crops are generally quite low. Cotton and sugar, which are planted over 221,000 ha, have negative net returns (measured in social prices).

The overall institutional framework for water management is hierarchically organized. Several ministries share the responsibility for water resources management; all of them are represented in the Higher Water Council.

The negative consequences of Middle Eastern regional conflicts for Jordan find an echo in climate change, which also aggravates the country’s water problems: it causes less rain to fall and feed the Jordan River and the Yarmouk River (the two rivers are shared with Israel and Syria). This situation forces people to rely on groundwater reserves, and they are increasingly depleting.

The Middle East Desalination Center (MEDRC), headquartered in the capital Muscat, was founded in 1996. MEDRC is working in alignment with the government strategy to address significant regional or transboundary environmental challenges. Furthermore, it plays a significant role in boosting water-related research and innovation in Oman

Egypt, which lies in north-eastern Africa and extends into the Sinai Peninsula in Asia, covers a total area of 1 million square kilometres (km²). It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip, Israel and the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west.

In general, surface water quality deteriorates as one moves downstream, with the worst pollution occurring at the Northern Lakes. Domestic water demands result in about 3.8 BCM/yr of wastewater being …