The Water Sciences and Technology Association (WSTA), a regional organization related to the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), organized the 12th Gulf Water Conference (GWC) from 28 to 30 March 2017 in Manama, Bahrain. The Gulf Water Conferences take place in intervals of 2-3 years in different GCC countries. They primarily gather water experts from governments, research institutes, and the private sector in the six GCC countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Participants also come from other Arab countries as well as from further abroad (Europe or North America).
The conference, attended by 200-250 water experts, focused on the new GCC Unified Water Strategy (UWS) for 2016-2035, which was adopted by the GCC Secretariat in mid-2016. A number of the UWS goals directly or indirectly relate to a better management of groundwater.
Read the highlights of the conference and more at the Events page here.
Contributed by R. Klingbeil, Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)