Cooperation on Rift Valley line key to sustainable development — Prince Hassan

AMMAN — Under the patronage of HRH Prince Hassan, president of the Higher Council for Science and Technology, a panel discussion titled “Tackling the Great Rift Valley: Resilience in the Region by Linking Environment, Food, Energy and Water Systems” was held on Thursday.

Ambassadors, experts and those concerned with energy, water and food issues attended the event. The panel discussion was organised by the Edamah Energy and Water Association in cooperation with Jordan Bromine.

Prince Hassan stressed the importance of regional and international cooperation on the Rift Valley line in order to discuss challenges, guide regional policies to meet humanitarian and environmental needs and focus on sustainable development efforts to enhance natural resource management efficiency. 

The prince stressed the need to pay greater attention to the management of shared water basins in the Rift Valley, improve water sustainability, enhance the efficiency of natural resource management and strengthen environmental strategies.  

His Royal Highness renewed the call for the establishment of a body, the Red Sea Commission, which would allow countries bordering the Red Sea to exchange expertise and discuss common challenges to reach solutions that enhance regional commonalities.

He noted the importance of promoting human dignity and empowering the people of the Great Rift Valley to better face the challenges of the future, especially those related to climate change and natural disasters. 

“Belonging to the region is a key pillar to work to face the challenges of the Great Rift Valley, especially the natural ones, which have begun to appear, the latest of which is the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, which left great destruction in lives and property,” he said.

Prince Hassan called for instilling a sense of duty towards the region and its people, strengthening regional cooperation, expanding responsibilities and active participation at the sectoral and macro levels as an important step forward.

He pointed out the need to look at the countries of the Mashreq and Arabian Peninsula regions holistically and as a comprehensive region with close ties. 

Prince Hassan noted the importance of making information and data available to all parties concerned with climate change issues, such as water, energy and sustainable development, in order to set priorities to address the effects of climate change.

He stressed the need to strengthen cooperation in various institutions, especially research institutions at the local and regional levels, and work to remove restrictions and barriers to creativity, scientific and technological innovation and exchange of knowledge experiences in order to build a better future for the region.

Prince Hassan stressed the need to develop a safe path to invest in major economic projects, especially those related to energy, water and food, which have a positive impact in facing climate challenges, and the need to empower local communities, sustainable work, long-term planning and unify efforts in this context.

He pointed to the need to strengthen economies in terms of water, the environment, the green economy and the efficient use of renewable natural resources in Jordan and in other countries of the Great Rift Valley.

For his part, the president of Edamah, Duraid Mahasneh, stressed the importance of focusing on the nexus between water, clean energy, food and the environment.

He called for the development of the Jordan Valley in a way that achieves more stability for its inhabitants, especially the region from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea, and the revival of Red Sea desalination projects with clean energy to create job opportunities from the expansion of mining industries in the Jordan Valley as well as the development of tourism.

Mahasneh noted that the interdependence of the entire groove development, including the Red Sea and even Africa’s coasts, achieves comprehensive development.

At the end of the session, a discussion took place on water, energy, food and environment systems, the important and effective role of different sectors in addressing the challenges of climate change and nature’s challenges.