The project will start with a study that analyzes and maps existing knowledge and practices as well as identifies critical gaps in the area of pre-impact and preparedness drought management in water-scarce countries in transition settings in West Asia/North Africa. An expert advisory group meeting will be held to discuss the findings of the study, gather further information, assess experiences and provide directions to the project.

A project milestone will include selecting five (5) representative pilot countries in West Asia/North Africa. The countries to be selected need to demonstrate and express a high degree of interest by the national and local governments. They must also be representative of different water scarcity and drought challenges, regional social-economic and institutional characteristics and water conflict trends and causes as well as maintain an acceptable level of recovery and stability.

A national assessment and consultation mission to each of the candidate pilot countries will be conducted to build a project team and develop a pilot-country implementation plan in consultation with the partners and stakeholders. Following this stage, activities and actions will be taken to make simultaneous progress toward the project's two expected accomplishments.

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In support of Rio+20 outcome paragraph 209 - We reiterate the need for cooperation through the sharing of climate and weather information and forecasting and early warning systems related to desertification, land degradation and drought, as well as to dust storms and sandstorms, at the global, regional and subregional levels. In this regard, we invite States and relevant organizations to cooperate in the sharing of related information, forecasting and early warning systems.

Fresh water resources are diminishing and deteriorating under demographic and climatic pressures. Decision-makers responsible for the sustainable development of freshwater resources need access to accurate and reliable water-related data. WMO supports an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to managing water resources.

The Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM), a joint initiative of the WMO and the Global Water Partnership, advocates a multi-disciplinary approach towards Integrated Flood Management (IFM) that can help to balance flood risk management and development needs.

The Integrated Drought Management Programme works with a wide range of partners with the objective of supporting stakeholders at all levels by providing them with policy and management guidance through globally coordinated generation of scientific information and sharing best practices and knowledge for integrated drought management. The IDMP is a contribution to GFCS especially with regards to the disaster risk reduction, water, agriculture and food security priority areas. It seeks to support regions and countries to develop more proactive drought policies and better predictive mechanisms.

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In support of Rio+20 outcome paragraph 209 - We reiterate the need for cooperation through the sharing of climate and weather information and forecasting and early warning systems related to desertification, land degradation and drought, as well as to dust storms and sandstorms, at the global, regional and subregional levels. In this regard, we invite States and relevant organizations to cooperate in the sharing of related information, forecasting and early warning systems.