Water Scarcity and Climate Change Enabling Environment Analysis for WASH: Middle East and North Africa

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region is the most water-stressed region in the world. According to 2018 data, 14 of the 17 most water-stressed countries globally were in the region, including the top six (FAO, 2022). This report was developed by UNICEF in collaboration with SIWI, UNDP, and the Water Governance Facility with the aim of assessing the readiness of the MENA countries' enabling environment in tackling water Scarcity and related compounding climate change risks.

The report offers an in-depth analysis that is conducted based on a structured assessment using the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) enabling Environment building blocks. Under each building block, assessment criteria were defined and subsequently measured through the use of a combination of the findings from country desk reviews and country surveys distributed to UNICEF country offices.

The findings of the assessment reveal that the best-performing building blocks include “Policy and Strategy” and “Institutional Arrangements”, with “Financing” and “Capacity Development” performing the worst. Planning, Monitoring, and reviewing building blocks had mixed results with some countries performing well, and others poorly.

For more details on this assessment and to read the report, please visit this link