The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) participated in the 2nd RESWATER Project Management Meeting, held in Heraklion, Crete, Greece, from 13 to 14 May 2026, and hosted by GWP-Med at the Center for Art and Culture in Archanes Municipality, within the framework of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme
The MWRI delegation included Eng. Walid Hakiki, Head of the Strategic Management Sector, Project Legal Representative, and Steering Committee Member; Prof. Dr. Reham Elkorashy, Project Manager; Dr. Abdelbaky Hossam El-Garhy; and Eng. Mona Maher, Project Coordinators
The meeting brought together representatives of the project partner institutions from participating countries to review the current implementation status of the project, assess progress achieved across the different work packages, and discuss ongoing technical and management activities, as well as coordination mechanisms for the upcoming implementation phase
During the meeting sessions, discussions addressed progress related to project management and coordination activities, characterization of non-conventional water resources solutions, pilot and demonstration sites, monitoring and performance assessment activities, communication and dissemination actions, Urban Water Management Plans, and the establishment of Living Labs and Communities of Practice
Participants also discussed several administrative and financial challenges associated with project implementation. In this context, the MWRI delegation presented the measures undertaken to finalize the administrative procedures related to opening the dedicated project bank account and appointing the First Level Controller (FLC), in order to ensure the regular progress of financial and implementation procedures during the upcoming reporting periods
Within the framework of Work Package 6 on Urban Water Management Plans, MWRI presented the preliminary framework prepared for the development of Urban Water Management Plans in cooperation with project partners. The session included extensive interactive discussions aimed at collecting partners’ feedback and recommendations to further refine the framework and support its implementation across the pilot areas
The meeting also addressed the mechanisms for establishing Living Labs and strengthening stakeholder engagement to support knowledge exchange and promote participatory approaches in the implementation of project activities across partner countries
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Steering Committee convened and agreed to postpone the upcoming project meeting planned in Spain in order to allow project partners to participate in the high-level Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum scheduled to be held in Rome in 2026. The meeting further emphasized the importance of highlighting the role of the RESWATER project in promoting sustainable and resilient water management and strengthening regional cooperation across the Mediterranean region
This meeting comes within the framework of the RESWATER project’s efforts to promote the sustainable management of non-conventional water resources, support innovative solutions for urban water management, and enhance knowledge exchange among partner countries in addressing water-related challenges and advancing sustainable development
