The Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) announced that its Annual Conference will convene in Beirut on 4-5 November 2010. The conference will debate a comprehensive report on water, being prepared by AFED experts. The report, highlighting the need for more sustainable management of a scarce resource, is the third in a State of Arab Environment series published by AFED. It follows the publication of two reports, Arab Environment: Future Challenges in 2008 and Impact of Climate Change on Arab Countries in 2009, which were highly acclaimed.



AFED's Secretary General Najib Saab explained that, "Policy recommendations will be prominent throughout the report, leading to reforms necessary to develop a sustainable water sector in the Arab region." Describing the water dilemma in Arab countries, Saab said that "Per capita share of water is declining due to swift increase in population, major water sources are from outside Arab borders or shared, and most available water resources are already developed," adding that "needs exceed availability, which requires rational use of available sources in all sectors and developing new sources, such as desalination and rain harvesting."