LWF 2019: In support of water governance in Lebanon

The 2019 event is organised in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Water, by Oxfam in collaboration with Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and with the support of the H2ALL consortium.

The provision of water services in Lebanon has been facing considerable financial, technical, administrative and social constraints, limiting the provision of a high quality service. Consequently, public water service providers operate at an annual financial deficit with low cost recovery for the services provided. At the same time, water consumers have a lack of trust in public services in general, and water services in particular.

The first LWF 2016 brought together government authorities and their institutions, services providers, academics, experts and practitioners in the field to reflect on water service provision in Lebanon and identified water governance as a major obstacle in the sector.

Building on this finding, the LWF 2019 aims to further explore water governance in Lebanon and its interlinkages to institutional frameworks, investments and strategies in the water sector.

Issam Fares Institute has extensive experience in the water sector that touches upon contemporary pertinent issues such as water security, conflict, and integrity as well as the interlinkages between water, energy and food.

On the other hand, Oxfam has a long and distinguished history of applied expertise in promoting access to water, sanitation and hygiene as well as poverty alleviation.

The partnership of IFI and Oxfam on the Lebanon Water Forum, through the combination of strategic and applied expertise, will aim to shed light on obstacles and opportunities for improved water governance. This is especially timely now that the CEDRE conference and the associated required sector reforms are taking front stage.

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