Prince Hassan encourages joint work to address water problems in Jordan, region

AMMAN — HRH Prince Hassan on Sunday underlined the importance of connecting researchers and policymakers to address challenges in the fields of energy, water, development, agriculture and environment in dry areas.

Prince Hassan, chairman of Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST), made the remarks during the opening session of a workshop at the Hashemite University (HU), organised by the Prince Hassan Bin Talal Faculty for Arid Lands.

Entitled “Sustainable Development of Arid Lands”, the workshop received experts from Europe and across the Arab world, as well as Arizona University in the United States, to discuss the water problems facing Jordan and the wider region.

Prince Hassan highlighted the vitality of collaborative work across regions and nations to address water problems, a statement sent by the prince’s office said.

In the opening session, Prince Hassan said that joint work helps cultivate trust, which is instrumental to resolving such insurmountable challenges.

“Agriculture and water transcend borders. We must work to find the solutions together,” he said in respect to the region.

The prince also stressed the importance of expanding the use of mapping in the region and urged gathered parties to establish national and international platforms for facilitate comprehensive dialogue, working with governments, the private sector and civil society to form multidisciplinary solutions to the complex challenges.

“We must expand our expertise to include sociography — once more placing the need of human beings at the centre of our societies, not just profit and corporate gain.”

In conclusion, Prince Hassan advised to remember the importance of agriculture and investment in agricultural training both for supporting young people who seek employment and countries as a whole.

According to the prince, this is the way to sustainable management of Jordan and the region’s limited resources.

Rather than looking for the light at the end of a tunnel, the price urged attendees to switch on the light themselves.

Director of the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Centre Sharon Megdal said that the workshop will foster awareness about knowledge, skills and tools for improving and maintaining the ecosystems and protecting human health.

For his part, HU President Kamal Bani Hani said that the university in partnership with Arizona University will implement aquaculture techniques to further HU’s success in the field, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Nezar Hammouri, dean of Prince Hassan Bin Talal Faculty for Arid Lands, said that the faculty offers a bachelor’s degree programme in the natural resources in arid lands studies and it is seeking to develop two new majors: pastures sustainability and economic and social development in arid lands.

Prince Hassan Bin Talal Faculty for Arid Lands was established in 2015 as an initiative by Prince Hassan and in cooperation with the HCST and International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Petra added.