Amman, April 19 (Petra) -- A launch meeting for the "Updating the Hydropolitical Reference Study of the Yarmouk River" project began in Amman on Sunday, bringing together representatives from Jordan and Syria, international partners, and water sector experts, with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Secretary-General of the Jordan Valley Authority Hisham Hayaseh said the project’s launch comes at a critical juncture and lays the groundwork for a series of complementary initiatives. He described the Yarmouk River basin as a key model for Jordanian-Syrian cooperation.
He stressed that the joint management of shared water resources has become a strategic imperative to ensure equitable and sustainable utilization, contributing to stability and development in both countries.
Hayaseh highlighted mounting challenges facing the water sector, particularly rising demand and the impacts of climate change, noting that the study will serve as a strategic instrument to enhance integrated water resources management and inform evidence-based decision-making.
Syrian Deputy Minister of Energy for Water Affairs Osama Abu Zeid noted that the project will strengthen data-sharing mechanisms and establish a unified and agreed-upon methodology. He said this will support a comprehensive assessment of the current and future status of the Yarmouk Basin amid environmental and climate-related pressures, ultimately improving water conditions for both countries.
Director of the Water Diplomacy Center Mutawakkil Obeidat said the center, established under the Blue Peace Initiative with support from SDC at the Jordan University of Science and Technology, serves as a platform for knowledge exchange, the development of joint implementation mechanisms, and the promotion of collaborative approaches to address shared challenges in the basin.
Regional Cooperation Advisor at the Swiss Embassy Mufleh Alwan said the initiative reflects a shared commitment to strengthening cooperation and knowledge exchange. He added that the project goes beyond analytical outputs to include capacity-building, workforce training in the water sector, and support for joint scientific research, fostering sustained, evidence-based dialogue.
//Petra// AJ
