Damascus hosts METAP 's National Focal Points Meeting
Regional, Economics, 4/9/2001

The Mediterranean Environmental technical Assistance Program ( METAP) held it annual national focal points at the Damascus Sheraton Hotel on April 3 Ð 5, 2001.

The goals were to review the findings and recommendations METAP III; and to reach agreement on the design and implementation for the continuation of METAP for the two next years.

It was attended by representatives of 15 Mediterranean states which benefit from the program and organized by the Syrian ministry of the environment in collaboration with the technical secretariat of METAP at the World bank and the donor companies, namely the European Investment bank, the Swiss government and the government of Finland.

In its fourth phase, META agreed two projects for Syria: the project on recycling solid wastes at the province of Hama and the project to " water Quality management Pillar" in collaboration with the Syrian ministries of irrigation and housing at a cost of USD 1.6 million. The project of water resources management will be discussed with the ministry of irrigation at a cost of USD 1.5 million.

In the course of the EC activities related to the METAP III objectives, Athena Mourmouris of the European Commission said that the EC is present in the Mediterranean and finances environmental projects and not exclusively within METAP. She added that the major investments in the Mediterranean region affecting the environment are realized outside environmental programs. She noted the need of synergies of different instruments and integration of environmental considerations.

Mourmouris also indicated imperative conditions for funding in following the rules and procedures of the specific instruments, within which funding is requested and link with the terms of reference and objectives of the instruments.

The meeting noted that the water quality management strategy objective is to encourage and enable the METAP countries to advance the process of addressing their priority water quality challenges and issues through a more systematic, coordinated approach to water quality management.

The strategic action plan in this regard states to establish an inter- ministerial commission to oversee the review and coordination of all water quality related policies; to strengthen coordination among the institutions involved in water quality management and related activities and to make the existing legal framework consistent with the policy framework to facilitate the integration of water quality management into water resources management.

The strategic action plan also states to complement the command and control approach with the introduction of economic instruments and use of best available technologies; to create and enabling legal and institutional environment for private sector involvement in water quality management, incorporate wastewater management in water resources management policy action plan and to provide relevant data and information to appropriate institutions and organizations for informed decision making and actions.

The meeting listed legal and regulatory coordination as guidelines for review of the legal framework; guidelines for development of the legal framework; guidelines for the development of water law; development of realistic and enforceable water quality standards and guidelines; development of a compliance monitoring system; development of effective enforcement mechanisms and legal and regulatory instruments for private sector involvement in water quality management.

As for the private sector participation in this process, the meeting noted Stakeholders and communities involvement in the planning process; identification of the " value of water to the society for various uses; how to identify government functions suitable for private sector participation; how to sensitize government organizations to the benefits of private sector involvement and the development of management capability within the public sector.

Upon discussing METAP III evaluation and METAO Assessment of Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development ( MCSD), the meeting questioned if the findings and recommendations in both META assessment and METAP III evaluation are in accordance with the NFP's experience with METAP III? What was missed ? and what should have been emphasized more strongly. The meeting also indicated how could METAP III and the National Focal points (NFP s) been more effective in assisting the countries in implementing their own METAP activities? Debated researches at METAP meeting stated that METAP countries are facing worsening water scarcity, noting that as water quality deteriorates, management of water resources becomes more challenging and that supply-side approach alone is increasingly unaffordable and un-sustainable.

They said that there is a need to integrate water quality into overall water resources management, indicating that METAP partners and countries have endorsed water quality management as a priority.

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