15. The Secretariat introduced document FO: NEFC/2004/4. The Commission reaffirmed the importance of forests and water to the region. Water scarcity, poverty, food insecurity, natural disasters and forest degradation were all inter-linked, particularly in rural areas. Water is a cross-sectoral and comprehensive issue, which should be integrated in national development strategies and the Commission recommended that FAO incorporate these strategies into its cross-sectoral projects and development programmes in the Near East Region.
16. Many countries pointed out the need for capacity building in technical aspects of water management and use, e.g. water harvesting, use of treated sewage water and selection of tree species with low water requirements, etc. The issue of the conflict between tree planting and water consumption, specifically by individual farmers, was also raised.
17. The Commission took note of the continued support by FAO to sustainable mountain development through its leading role in the International Year of Mountains. In view of the water shortages experienced by many countries in the region, the Commission expressed its interest and concern regarding management practices, including integrated watershed management. It recommended that FAO conduct thematic studies on the roles of forests and trees located in watershed areas and along water courses in regulating water flow and quality, and submit to the 17th Session of COFO a proposal on the socio-economic linkages between highland and lowland dwellers and the impact of mountain tourism on water resources. The results and recommendations of these studies should also be presented to the 17th Session of the Commission.
18. The availability of information on the protective role of forests, trees outside forests and forest plantations, and their role in poverty reduction, as well as on the evaluation of non-wood services of forests was essential for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) and the management of water resources. The Commission urged FAO to make information available to countries and to facilitate the exchange of such information among countries.
