The GWI Symposium: Water for Conflict Prevention

The aim of the Symposium is to significantly contribute to the DECISIONS AND RESOLUTION made by the Assembly, during the African Union (AU) Conference held on June 30-July 1^st, 2008, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, for its decisions regarding the UN Resolution1809; and for the Assembly's commitments for the achievement of water and sanitation goals in Africa.

The symposium will also contribute to the objectives of the Second International Decade: "Water for Life - 2005-2015" proclaimed by the General Assembly.

The specific objective of the Symposium is to allow participants to analyze the added value of Global Water Institute (GWI): the linkages between two issues including, access to water and sanitation, on one hand, and conflict prevention through the reintegration of demobilized forces, on the other hand.

A common solution could be shared to solve both issues, by motivating demobilized forces to work in water-related programs and the environmental protection to facilitate their social and economic reintegration.

The Symposium will be an opportunity to prepare recommendations on the following themes:

The promotion of the integration of a water sector in programs linking to the environmental security and populations' stability in post-conflict countries;

• the consolidation of bilateral and multilateral cooperation allowing closer collaboration with the diplomatic missions representing African post-conflict countries in the European Union, by developing programs related to water aiming at involving demobilized individuals into working for their reintegration and reinsertion.
• the development of international, national and local partnerships with institutions involved in both, the development of water-related programs and the reintegration of demobilized people; and
• the development of a specific approach to enable the management of the program Policy: Water for Conflict Prevention.

Symposium participants will analyze various approaches utilized in developing water related programs while working with demobilized forces for the environmental security leading to conflict prevention.