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Celebration of the World Water Day in the Khartoum / Omdurman / Bahri metropolis
On 22 March 2017, the Khartoum office of UNESCO in collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources, Irrigation and Electricity and Sudanese National Commission for Education, Sciences and Culture organized a celebration for the World Water Day 2017 in the Khartoum / Omdurman / Bahri metropolis, which took place on the premises of the Sudanese Electricity Distribution Company with participation of about one hundred key stockholders of water industry of Sudan and other Sudanese and international officials.
The celebration was honoured by H.E. Amb. Moataz Musa, the Minister of Water Resources; Eng. Khider Gasm Elseed, the State Minister for Water Resources, Mr. Musa Omar Abu-Al Gasim the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Mohamed Hassan Ammar, the Director of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Unit, Prof. Abdin Salih, the Representative of Sudan in UNESCO鈥檚 Executive Board, Dr. Pavel Kroupkine, the Representative of UNESCO to Sudan, Dr. Ahmed Hardan, the Deputy Representative of WHO to Sudan, and other officials from Ministries of Water Resources, Labour, Foreign Affairs, etc.
漏 UNESCO: World Water Day in Khartoum: Opening ceremony, Stage. 22/03/2017
The celebration started with mini-lecture of Prof. Abdin Salih about UNESCO鈥檚 support for worldwide water development in general, and water development in Sudan in particular. He overviewed the UNESCO鈥檚 International Hydrology Programme, which is active from 1975, the set of global water networks supported by UNESCO, where Sudanese water researches and practitioners participate actively, Sudanese alumnae of the UNESCO鈥檚 International Institute for Water Education, different UNESCO Chairs in Sudan, Regional Centre for Water Harvesting, etc. Dr. Pavel Kroupkine complemented the lecture of Prof. Abdin highlighting the fruitfulness of UNESCO <=> Ministry of Water collaboration, which could be considered as a model one 鈥 providing good basement for achieving the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 6 鈥淓nsure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all鈥, and transmitted to the public the message of H.E. Ms. Irina Bokova, the General Director of UNESCO, on occasion of the World Water Day 2017. Dr. Ahmed Hardan ensured the support of WHO to all aspects of work in accordance with the SDG 6, and highlighted the importance of access to quality water and improved sanitation for the health of people. H.E. Amb. Moataz Musa, the Minister of Water Resources, confirmed the importance of the SDG 6 for the Ministry, highlighted the value of the Potable Water Reuse for improving availability of Water Resources for people, and promised to support establishing a Central Water Quality Laboratory.
Then an entertainment programme and honouring of distinguished Sudanese water specialists took place.
漏 UNESCO: World Water Day in Khartoum: Honoring of distinguished Sudanese water specialists. 22/03/2017.
The technical session started with a keynote presentation on the Sanitation Systems in Sudan & Khartoum, which was delivered by Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Khadam, the notable Sanitation Expert of the University of Khartoum. He provided an overview and highlighted the current vision of decentralised wastewater treatment plants as a solution for Khartoum State, where less than 5% of the population currently connected to sewers. Then, there was presented a case study on Tannery Wastewater Treatment in Khartoum North.
The second technical session started with a presentation on Sewerage Systems in Sudan, their Past and Future, which was delivered by Dr. Abdelgadir Al-Tilb. Then there was a presentation of the Sudan Youth Parliament for Water, which outlined the activities of the organisation and lectured about Innovative Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Reuse.
The technical sessions resulted in recommendations, including the necessity to organize a National Conference for Wastewater, to better finance wastewater collection and treatment in Khartoum and major cities of Sudan, and to improve monitoring of wastewaters.
漏 UNESCO: World Water Day in Khartoum: an exhibition of the Sudan Youth Parliament for Water. 22/03/2017.
Several exhibitions were organized as side events to the celebration.
