Driving water sustainability and security in the region
- 2 - 3 October 2023
- Sofitel Hotel, Rabat, Morocco
Organised by
Supporting partners
Event overview
The forum provides an empowering platform where ministries, government authorities, consultants, solutions providers and resellers collectively identify and solve pressing water-related challenges in Africa, using the most innovative and sustainable technologies and techniques.
The African region is facing multi-dimensional water challenges which can lead to massive health issues, food insecurity, poverty, imbalance in the ecosystem, human conflicts, and mass migration.
On the other hand, water trends in the region also suggest that there is potentially adequate water and means to meet the basic needs of the region and sustain ecosystems if planned for and managed properly and with priority. This creates an overarching need for intervention from local and regional authorities to come forward and collaborate with various water stakeholders across the continent for a better future.
Hence, to address these critical issues and topics, the Africa Water Forum is hosted on 2-3 October 2023 in Rabat, Morocco, to bring together thought leaders from across the water sector and relevant industries.
CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES
- Drive Africa 2025 Water Vision for equitable and sustainable use of water for driving socio-economic development
- Strengthen integrated water resources management in national and trans-boundary water basins
- Enable financing and investments into water supply, water resources management and sanitation projects
- Foster innovation in technologies and solutions aimed at effective water resources management and distribution by attracting cutting-edge solutions from around the world
Event in numbers
1
+
High-Profile Conference Delegates
1
+
Speakers
1
+
Project showcases and country briefings
1
+
Sponsors and exhibitors
1
+
Countries represented
1
+
Media
partners
partners
Technical Advisory Committee
Charafat Afailal
Steering Committee Member
Global Water Partnership and Former Minister in Charge of Water
Morocco
Youssef Brouziyne
Regional Representative & CGIAR Water System Lead - MENA Region
International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
Egypt
Forum Speakers
Forum Chairwoman
Ehsan Elmaknassi
Charafat Afailal
Steering Committee Member
Global Water Partnership and Former Minister in Charge of Water
Morocco
Youssef Brouziyne
Regional Representative & CGIAR Water System Lead - MENA Region
International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
Egypt
Marouan El Khattabi
Middle East Director
GS Inima Environment
Mohamed Farhaoui
Head of water production Department
National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water, ONEE
Mohamed Bouaam
General secretary
ANAFIDE
Dr. Tahani Sileet
Head of Central Department for External Cooperation
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation
Egypt
Prof. Dr. Béchir Hamrouni
Founder and President
Tunisian Desalination Association TDA
Tunisia
Ismail
Alaoui
Principal & Africa Lead
Amane Advisors, a global Management consultancy specializing in the Water industry and resources recovery
Haytham Ahmed
Engineering Manager
FEDCO
Jim Matharu
Senior Vice President Enterprise Services
Aquatech
Sumaya Nassiep
Chief Operating Officer
Sun Africa LLC
Prof. Chaker Necibi
Associate Professor and Researcher of Innovative desalination technologies
Mohamed VI Polytechnic University
Khalid Barkouki
General Manager
BHS Engineering
Dr. Adebayo
Lead Irrigation Expert in the West Africa Office
IWMI
Fernando Suarez
Technical director
MMSA Water
Adil Touyeb
Managing Director
Wilo
Lahcen Hasnaoui
Consultant in Water treatment and quality control
Tanvir Ahmed
Managing Director
Kf Unternehmensgruppe GmbH
Rachid
Serraj
Director of Strategy
Africa Initiative
Morocco
Peter Kibet Biwott
Managing Director
Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company
Kenya
Hicham Fenniri
Vice President, and Research Foundation MAScIR
Morrocan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation
Morroco
Ehsan Elmaknassi
International Water Consultant
Dr. Mohamed El Hadraoui
Strategic Studies Manager and Decision Support Expert
Dr. Redouane Choukr-Allah
Professor and Head of the salinity and plant nutrition Laboratory
Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Hassan II
Morocco
Imteyaz
Ahmad
Managing Director
FWPC
United Arab Emirates
Forum Agenda
8:30 - 9:00
Registration and Networking
9:00 - 9:15
Opening Ceremony of the Africa Water Forum
- Welcome address by Great Minds Group; Asmae Hamidi
- Welcome address by Forum Chairwoman: Mrs. Ehsan Elmaknassi, International Water Consultant
9:15 - 10:00
Panel Discussion: Strengthening regional cooperation and partnership for water security in Africa
- Providing a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable water management to achieve Africa Water Vision 2025 and the substantial investment, collaborative efforts, and innovative approaches required to accomplish it
- Highlighting successful transboundary water resource management projects in Africa and discussing legal frameworks and governance structures that can facilitate cooperation
- Discussing strategies to attract private investment, build capacity, and ensure the long-term sustainability of PPP initiatives in the water sector
- Exploring opportunities to strengthen triangular collaboration including South-South cooperation and partnerships with global development institutions
Speakers
- Charafat Afailal, Steering Committee Member, Global Water Partnership and Former Minister in Charge of Water, Moroccan Government
- Youssef Brouziyne, Regional Representative & CGIAR Water System Lead, MENA Region, International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
- Marouan El Khattabi, Middle East Director, GS Inima Environment
- Dr. Tahani Sileet, Head of Central Department for External Cooperation at Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt
Moderator
- Prof. Abdelkader Ait El Mekki, Former Faculty Member, Department of Agricultural, Economics, National School of Agriculture
10:00 - 10:45
Panel discussion Unleashing the potential growth of desalination opportunities in countries experiencing high levels of water stress with long coastlines
- Assessing the current status of desalination projects the region
- Developing roadmaps for integrating desalination into national water strategies
- Showcasing cutting-edge desalination technologies, including reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, membrane distillation, and multi-effect distillation (MED), multi-stage flash (MSF)
- Discussing the initiatives regarding energy optimization and efficiency as well as the use of renewable energy in desalination in Africa
- Discussing ongoing advancements in desalination to enhance efficiency, lower costs, and mitigate environmental impacts
- Exploring financing options for desalination projects and investigating carbon finance opportunities
Speakers
- Prof. Dr. Béchir Hamrouni, Founder and President of the Tunisian Desalination Association TDA, Tunisia
- Ismail Alaoui, Principle, Amane Advisors, Morocco based projects
- Haytham Ahmed, Engineering Manager, FEDCO
- Jim Matharu, Senior Vice President Enterprise Services, Aquatech
- Sumaya Nassiep, Chief Operating Officer, Sun Africa
10:45 — 11:15
Industry innovations showcase sessions
This session will highlight the latest technologies in desalination. The session will consist of two 15-minutes presentation from an industry expert who will provide insights and case studies on successful application of innovative desalination technologies.
- Industry innovations showcase session 1
- Industry innovations showcase session 2
10:45 - 11:00
Industry innovations showcase session 1 by Haytham Ahmed, Engineering Manager, FEDCO
11:00 – 11:15
Industry innovations showcase session 2 by Fernando Suarez, Technical director, MMSA Water MMSA
11:15 — 12:00
Coffee break and networking
12:00 — 12:15
Case study: Successful desalination project showcase in Africa
12:15 - 12:45
Panel discussion: Tackling sanitation, wastewater and reuse challenges by leveraging the use of innovative technologies
- Identifying challenges and opportunities in sanitation and wastewater management
- Overcoming cultural barriers in treated and reused wastewater
- Developing roadmaps for enhancing sanitation coverage and improving wastewater treatment
- Enhancing wastewater treatment engineering and modernizing hardware and software systems to achieve more efficient and reliable wastewater treatment
- Exploring the potential of innovative technologies and process controls to enhance operations efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness in sanitation and wastewater management
Speakers
- Peter Kibet Biwott, Managing Director, Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company, Kenya (remotely)
- Adil Touyeb, Managing Director, Wilo North Africa
- Lahcen Hasnaoui, Consultant in Water treatment and quality control
- Imteyaz Ahmad, Managing Director, FWPC, United Arab Emirates
Moderator
- Youssef Brouziyne, Regional Representative & CGIAR Water System Lead, MENA Region, International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
12:45 — 13:20
Industry innovations showcase sessions
This session will highlight the latest technologies in wastewater treatment. The session will consist of a 15-minutes presentation from an industry expert who will provide insights and case studies on successful application of innovative wastewater treatment technologies.
12:45 — 13:20
Industry innovations showcase session 3 by Tanvir Ahmed Kf Unternehmensgruppe GmbH
13:00 – 13:20
Industry innovations showcase sessions 4 by Dr Gabin Koucoi – Sun Africa and Sushil Bajaj – Aquatech
13:20 – 13:40
Presentation: Water and sludge reuse in water treatment plant by Mohamed Farhaoui, Head of water production Department, National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water, ONEE.
13:40
Closing remarks by Forum Chairwoman: Mrs. Ehsan Elmaknassi, International Water Consultant
13:45
Networking lunch and end of Day 1
8:30 - 9:30
Registration and Networking
9:30 - 9:45
Opening remarks by Forum Chairman
9:45 — 10:15
1 on 1 discussion: Implementing and scaling digital water solutions to enhance water management
- Discussion of the status of data science and digital solutions in water sector in Africa
- Showcasing innovative technologies in large and small scales water management such as remote sensing, IoT, blockchain for smart water management
- Leveraging collaboration and investment to maximize digitalization initiatives in African countries and enhance water management
- Exploring financing mechanisms and investment opportunities for innovative water solutions
Speaker
- Ehsan Elmaknassi, International Water Consultant
Moderator
- Youssef Brouziyne, Regional Representative & CGIAR Water System Lead, MENA Region, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Egypt
10:15— 11:00
Panel discussion: Advancing sustainable irrigation practices to enhance agricultural water productivity in Africa
- Current implementation of irrigation systems in Africa and arrays for development
- Exploring climate-resilient irrigation practices to mitigate the impact of changing climate patterns
- Discussing strategies for sustainable planning, design, and management of irrigation systems
- Prospects of irrigation systems markets in Africa
Speakers
- Mohamed Bouaam, General secretary, ANAFIDE
- Dr. Redouane Choukr-Allah, Senior Professor at Agricultural Innovation and technology Transfer Center
- Khalid Barkouki, General Manager, BHS Engineering
- Dr. Adebayo, Lead Irrigation Expert in the West Africa Office, IWMI
Moderator
- Hicham Fenniri, Vice President, Foundation MAScIR Morrocan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation, and Research, Morroco
11:00 - 11:45
Coffee break and networking
11:45– 12:30
Panel discussion: Fostering public-private partnerships for sustainable water solutions
Exploring the potential of collaboration in addressing water challenges, focusing on innovative solutions, financing mechanisms, and regulatory frameworks.
Speakers
- Dr. Mohamed El Hadraoui, Strategic Studies Manager and Decision Support Expert.
- Rachid Serraj, Director of Strategy, Africa Initiative, Morocco
Moderator
- Najib Zaoui, Consultant, Morocco
12:30
Closing remarks by Forum Chairwoman: Ehsan Elmaknassi, International Water Consultant
12:45
Networking lunch and end of Forum
Upcoming water development and expansion projects in Africa
$462
million
approved by the Moroccan government for the National Office of Electricity & Drinking Water to increase production capacity to 450,405m3 per day, and build 14 new wastewater treatment plants
$71
million
worth contract for the construction of several drinking water facilities was awarded by Uganda’s National Water & Sewerage Corporation to Sogea-Satom, a subsidiary of the French group Vinci
$18.88
million
Conakry wastewater treatment project in Guinea, financed by Islamic Development Bank, to upgrade the capacity of existing plant from 5000m3 per day to 25,800m3 per day by 2035
$114
billion
is the target investment set by Africa’s Small Water Enterprise (SWE) sector to achieve the region’s SDG targets for water and sanitation
€133
million
to be invested by Ghana in new water supply infrastructure
Multi-billion
dollar
water investment programme has been launched by Zambia
First PPP water desalination project
in Senegal announced between Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and the National Water Company of Senegal
Key Themes for Discussion
- Integrated water resources management and strengthening cooperation and joint management of international water basins
- Optimizing water resources management and development through investments and capacity building
- Showcasing upcoming infrastructure development and water resources management projects in Africa
- Attracting investments and financing solutions for water projects in Africa
- Integrating technology innovations towards optimizing climate-resilient water management
Who Should Attend?
- Ministries of Water Resources / Environment / Climate Change
- Government Authorities, Regulatory bodies & Policy Makers
- Federal Authorities and Armed Forces
- International Institutions
- Utility Companies
- Water Supply & Distribution Companies
- Water & Wastewater Treatment Companies
- Infrastructure Development Companies
- EPC Contractors
Sponsors
Official Water & Energy Partner
Official Pump Partner
Associate Sponsor
Associate Sponsor
Associate Sponsor
Lanyard sponsor
Strategic Partner
Strategic Partner
Strategic Partner
Industry Partner
Industry Partner
Why Partner?
- Secure 1-to-1 meetings with heads of utility companies and directors of mega projects and find out about upcoming projects and tenders
- Position as a thought leader and showcase your expertise infront of your target clientele
- Network with water infrastructure developers and construction companies working on mega projects in Africa
- Connect and network with industry peers to drive stakeholder collaboration and tackle shared operational challenges
- Showcase technologies, equipment and solutions for water and wastewater treatment, reuse and desalination to your target market
Who should exhibit and sponsor?
- Urban water system management technologies and solutions
- Water storage systems
- Water & wastewater treatment and reuse technologies
- Desalination technologies & solutions
- Water distribution systems
- Sewage systems
- Technology, products and equipment manufacturers
- Water infrastructure developers & construction companies
- Engineering, procurement & design contractors
- Development banks & sustainable financing providers
If you provide technologies and solutions for optimal water management and is interested to explore the sponsorship packages and opportunities, please contact us on partnerships@gmevents.ae
or contact
Bencily Thomas - bencily.thomas@gmevents.ae | +971 52 969 7209
Media Partners
PROJECT INTELLIGENCE PARTNER
Event Schedules
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Event Venue
- 2 - 3 October 2023
- Sofitel Hotel, Rabat, Morocco
Floor Plan
