International Water Summit

Now in it's 4th year, the International Water Summit (IWS) is a unique global platform for promoting water sustainability and addressing water challenges across the region. IWS brings together world leaders, field experts, academia luminaries and business innovators to accelerate the development of new sustainable strategies and technologies in the Water Industry.

Held under the patronage of H.H. General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, IWS will continue to foster innovation, best practice and collaboration to offer tangible solutions to the pressing issue of water scarcity.

In 2015, the conference had over 300 attendees from over 40 countries and was addressed by 89 speakers, Heads of States and Ministers who addressed water challenges and innovations across the region.

The 2016 agenda is currently being research and developed, a snapshot of topics already confirmed include:

• Water lifecycle management strategies: perspectives from water investors, developers and operators on creating long-term sustainable solutions relating to security & quality 
• Spotlight and increased content dedicated to the region’s biggest opportunity for the water industry, Saudi Arabia: a market with investment of $40bn in water reuse projects over the next decade alone 
• Coverage of the desalination, wastewater, network & storage opportunities in the wider Gulf & North African water market: the emerging water story in Oman; Kuwait’s new reinvigorated PPP programme; Abu Dhabi’s evolving water resource management strategy; Qatar’s infrastructure investment programme 
• Analysis on the new opportunities presented by oil & gas, refining, mining and food & beverage sectors: an overview on water needs of the expanding industrial sector in MENA and the regulation being to introduced to facilitate this growth
• Demand side management initiatives: Rethinking subsidies (tariff reform); urban development related policies to reduce consumption (building codes etc.); efficient use of current supplies; initiatives & targets for water reuse;