FoEME’s Project Managers accompanied by staff members concluded a series of visits that covered seven communities in the Jordan Rift valley. The visits commenced on the 11th of September, 2013 and lasted for a week. The purpose of the visit was to introduce the newly elected mayors to the work of the organization in the Jordan Rift Valley and ensure the future cooperation of municipal staff and members. In this respect, FoEME has conducted extensive research with the help of its Public Outreach Project Coordinators along with its Community Coordinators in cooperation with the previous mayors to develop Project Briefs that outline Priority Initiatives and identify the major concerns in intended regions. The ensuing formed a base for producing a roadmap that guides stakeholders, government bodies, and future donors on the best practices that respond to the emerging needs of a designated area.
Studies revealed that the most prominent is the dire need to invest in sanitation projects in the form of improving or rehabilitating Deir Allah’s dumping sites, creating modern sanitary networks, in addition to establishing sanitary treatment plants.
Not only do they play an important role as project facilitators in their communities, newly elected mayors of partnering municipalities are expected to bring to the fore emerging environmental concerns and raise awareness about them. They will also serve as Panelists in the regional and international environmental discussions. The anticipated conference taking place in Málaga; Spain, in October, 2013 for instance, forms an excellent opportunity for the newly elected mayors to play an active environmental role.
The conference comes as part of a second phase in a series of endeavors that attempt to protect ground water by advancing Priority Water and Sanitation Projects according to the FoEME’s Jordanian Project Manager, Baha Afaneh. It will host political representatives from various concerned countries including Jordan and will present an opportunity for decision makers and donors to meet and discuss similar shared experiences. The participants are expected to gain insight into the best practices in the field of Protecting Underground Water, increase awareness to problems faced by partnering municipalities, and enhance management of transboundary water resources.
Contributed by FoEME’s Media Officer & Project Coordinator Samar M. Salma in collaboration with Baha Afaneh, FoEME’s Jordainian Project Manager, and FoEME’s Public Outreach Coordinator for the GWN Hana Al Asa’d at the Amman Office.