Forum to address water scarcity’s effect on national security

AMMAN — International climatologists, scientists and politicians are scheduled to convene in Amman later this week to tackle water scarcity and its impact on national security, according to organisers.

Munich-based company WeatherTec will hold the Amman Water and Rain Forum on Thursday at the King Hussein Business Park to discuss the correlation between national and water security, according to WeatherTec Founder and CEO Helmut Fluhrer.

“Water and national security come together closely… Water in many countries around the world tops the national agendas,” Fluhrer said, noting that nations’ priorities are shifting from oil to water security.

He said that the government is “strongly supporting” the forum on water security, highlighting that Jordan is already one of the world’s driest countries but is hosting 1.4 million refugees, a case that is putting extra pressure on its water sources.

“The forum will be held in Jordan because we think that the government is trying very hard to manage water,” the executive added.

Fluhrer noted that given its current water situation and the technologies it is seeking to provide and manage more freshwater, Jordan will become a “hub and an example for dry countries”.