As part of his visits to officials of the water sector in the GCC countries, Mr. Abdul Rahman Al Mahmoud, WSTA President met H.E. Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Water Resources Council, Kingdom of Bahrain on Sunday – January 8, 2017. In the meeting, the president briefed His Excellency on the Association’s various present and future activities held to encourage interest in the Science of Water, Scientific Research and Studies, training programs and the development of local capacity, and contribute to public awareness programs that achieve the optimal use of water, and encourage the use of scientific methods for the development of various water sources in the GCC countries .

In this regard, His Excellency has emphasized on the various steps taken by the government of Bahrain who stepped in early in realizing the importance of saving its Water Resources through the establishment of the Water Resources Council in 198, aiming to establish public policies and strategies to ensure proper use of water for various purposes and monitor their implementation and progress according to plans to achieve the desired goals. The Council aimed also to encourage the awareness among individuals and all sectors of society needed to preserve Bahrain Natural Water Resources through the proper use of water, and engaged civil society institutions and encouraged them to act as a complement to official efforts like what ha sbeen achieved by the Water Science and Technology Association.

Mr. Mahmood also briefed the Deputy Prime Minister on the ongoing preparations to host the Twelfth water Gulf Conference Assembly to be held in the month of March under the theme “Water in the GCC Countries .. Toward Integrated Strategies,” noting that this conference which will be held in the Kingdom Bahrain for the fourth time is a forum for open scientific discussion and exchange of views and experiences among researchers and executives, specialists, policy and decision makers and the private sector on integrated strategies, legislatives, economics, and environmental considerations.

At the end of the meeting, His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa expressed his full support for WSTA in its mission, wishing the Association and all its members every success in the organization of the upcoming Conference, and in turn the President express expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Kingdom of Bahrain for hosting the headquarters of the WSTA and nurtured to do their part in order to continue the efforts to help countries in the region to save their water resources and explore ways to achieve sustainability of this vital resource.

The meeting was attended by Board members Dr. Abdulaziz Al Turbak, Eng. Tawfiq Algsham from Saudi Arabia, Dr. Waleed Zubari from Kingdom of Bahrain, and the former WSTA President Dr Abdul Majeed Al Awadhi. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Advisor, Mr. Khalid Fakhro.