“State of the Art” Report for Wash Thematic Priority Within UfM Water Agenda

Within the activities of the WASH thematic priority of the UfM Water Agenda supported by Union for the Mediterranean (UfM Secretariat) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Regional Program Energy Security and Climate Change (KAS – REMENA). The WASH Task force recognised the need to set the stage and have some initial preparatory work in order to review the status and current efforts on WASH aspects across the countries of the Mediterranean. This is presented via this “State of the Art” Report (SoA Report) which identifies strengths and weaknesses, highlights priority areas for information and knowledge sharing about WASH services in the Mediterranean region. The SoA Report capitalize on existing data as well as collected additional data through a questionnaire distributed among UfM member countries and WASH related stakeholders in the region.

The main objectives of the SoA report are to provide a brief overview of the current status of WASH services in the UfM region, also, it identifies strengths and weaknesses, priority areas for WASH sector in MENA region highlighted for information and knowledge sharing (i.e., technology, governance and economic aspects, best practices and case studies). Moreover, this report provides an assessment of sanitation conditions and aspects in UfM region. With elaboration of a policy chapter highlighting different approaches in dealing with policy, regulation and implementation of WASH. In addition, an overview on worldwide innovative solution in the WASH sector and those which can be applied in the region to support UfM WASH working group linking report outcomes with the UfM financial strategy objectives in the Mediterranean region.

January 2022