Conference on the WEF NEXUS: Standing and Realities in the MENA Region

Within the framework of the Participatory Hub for Effective Mapping, Acceleration and Capitalization (PHEMAC) project, the Climate Change and Environment (CC&E) Program at IFI held the PHEMAC Innovation Week on October 10-11, gathering local and international partners to discuss the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus and meet startups working to tackle Nexus challenges. The event gathered researchers, policy makers, investors, industry players, SMEs, startups and entrepreneurs working in the fields of the WEF Nexus.

The week kicked off with a panel on WEF Nexus status and realities in Lebanon. The discussion focused on the establishment of synergies with other on-going Nexus initiatives in the Mediterranean Partner Country (MPC) region and the need to raise awareness on success stories on MPC best practices within the WEF sectors.

​Recommendations were presented on ways to improve MPC participation in the discussion about priorities of future policy dialogue in the region related to WEF issues. A focus group was later held on IT platforms addressing the WEF Nexus, how to employ them, guarantee their sustainability or replicate their use. A brokerage event provided a great opportunity for youth-led startups and entrepreneurs to present their innovative projects showcasing initiatives to alleviate the WEF Nexus in Lebanon and explore potential opportunities for commercial and technological cooperation.

Day 1 ended with the Lebanese-MED Researcher’s Night, during which researchers and students pitched their research, within the realm of the WEF Nexus to support growing studies in this field and tackle the current implications in Lebanon and the MENA region. The winning project was Drone Aid, with Jamra Plus winning second place and G algae third place.

On Day 2, the CC&E program lead a discussion on the elevated PHEMAC methodology, involving an older version re-visited in a broader framework of analysis. The day ended with a workshop whereby participating partners tested the methodology and its effectiveness in assessing the impact of projects tackling the WEF nexus.