Minaret

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The MENA Region Initiative As a Model of NEXUS Approach and Renewable Energy Technologies (MINARET) aims to address the unique sustainability challenges and opportunities of the MENA region by increasing local and regional sustainability capacities using the synergies between renewable energy technology and efficiency, water management, and food security.

The 4-year project kicked off in the first quarter of 2017 to be implemented in Jordan, Tunisia and Lebanon.

The MINARET project intends to build the municipality’s resilience to climate change through adopting renewable energy resources and energy efficiency, water management techniques and food security. This is in addition to strengthening institutional capacities of the relevant governmental authorities involved in the project through promoting policy dialogue and implementing capacity building programmes as well as promoting inter-municipal regional cooperation to enhance good governance and equitably dealing with the needs and human rights. The project also seeks to reinforce the role of women, youth and marginalized groups in developing and implementing NEXUS approach. The last objective of the project, which is the main topic of this concept paper, is to develop a MENA dialogue online platform and website focusing on knowledge sharing, education, and lesson learned at the national and regional policy levels.

NEXUS theory is that water, energy, and food security on a global level can be achieved through integrates management and governance across the three sectors.

The project partners include the Royal Scientific Society/National Energy Research Center (RSS/NERC), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Future Pioneers for Empowering Communities (FPEC)

The project is aligned with the Swedish International Development Cooperation’s (SIDA) strategy and its goals of environmental improvement, reduced climate impact and increased resilience to environmental impacts, climate change and natural disasters. The project also embraces five of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 5- Gender equality; SDG 6-Water; SDG 7- Affordable and clean energy; SDG 11-Sustainable cities and communities and SDG 13-Climate action.

The project is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation (SIDA)