Euro-Med water conference set for Dec. 22

After two postponements, Jordan will host the Euro-Med Ministerial Conference on Water December 22-24 at the Dead Sea, a Foreign Ministry official said on Thursday.

"The new date was set in coordination between Jordan and the Joint French-Egyptian presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean," the ministry's spokesperson, Nassar Habashenh, told The Jordan Times, adding that they are in the process of sending invitations to EU member states.

The conference was originally slated to take place on October 28 at the Dead Sea, but the government decided to postpone the event until a settlement is reached over the Arab League's participation and membership in the Union for the Mediterranean.

In a recent EU meeting in Marseilles, it was agreed on holding the conference later this month after reaching a settlement between the Barcelona Process member states over the issue. But the event had to be delayed again pending coordination with all participants over the best timing, EU sources announced then.

French Ambassador to Jordan Denys Gauer said in a previous statement to the press that the Kingdom will be among the main beneficiaries of the conference which will define the main challenges and difficulties as well as solutions to address the water shortage.