Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) announced today the signing of a strategic partnership with the second edition of International Water Summit (IWS).

IWS 2014 is hosted by Masdar and will be held in Abu Dhabi from January 20 to 22 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW).

Over 5,000 attendees and nearly 200 companies representing 20 countries are expected to attend IWS 2014. Building on the outstanding success of the inaugural IWS 2013, the second edition of IWS is set to occupy an extra 25 per cent of exhibition space and will continue to play a significant role in the global effort to promote sustainable water resource management solutions.

With an estimated investment of over $300 billion in GCC water sustainability infrastructure projects during the period 2012-2022, the event also presents vast business opportunities to leading regional and global providers of cutting-edge water technologies.

Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, director general of ADWEA, said, “We have joined forces with IWS 2014 due to the significant role it plays not only addressing water challenges and promoting sustainable water resource management solutions, but also in raising awareness among citizens and residents of Abu Dhabi.”

“The accelerated growth and development of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is associated with rise in population, industrial development and growing agriculture requirements. Therefore, partnering the event furthers our efforts in spreading the message of water conservation and in encouraging necessary action.”

“On our part, we are committed to the ongoing development of policies and implementation of advanced technologies to ensure efficient and sustainable water resource management and distribution in the Emirate.

“We were particularly keen to tie up with IWS 2014 in order to partake in the ongoing debate and discussions on water conservation and water management. It will provide us with an ideal platform to share our knowledge as well as learn about new technologies, projects and ideas that we may then be able to implement in Abu Dhabi and serve our customers better”, Al Nuaimi added.

Ara Fernezian, divisional managing director – UAE at Reed Exhibitions, said, “The global water challenge requires the collaboration of experts and decision-makers from both government and private sectors to debate, discuss and contribute in solving water-related issues of the Middle East and global arid regions.”

“Our work at IWS 2014 supports the effort undertaken by the UAE to carve a pathway toward sustainability worldwide. We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to ADWEA for their support to IWS event once again this year,” Fernezian added.

The inaugural edition of IWS in 2013 was attended by 4700 participants from 75 countries, contributing to the Middle East’s effort in seeking innovative solutions to water-scarcity problems in arid regions globally. It is co-located with World Future Energy Summit (WFES), an event hosted by Masdar. – TradeArabia News Service