During the week of World Water Day, the MSc Public Policy and International Cooperation organised the Global Water Challenge for two European contexts, at the scale of an eco-district in France (ZAC des Docks de Saint-Ouen) and in Cyprus (unconventional strategy to increase the supply). The event was held under the patronage of Annita Demetriou, President of the Cyprus House of Representatives and sponsored by LATHEA Group, a leading real-estate company based in Nicosia-Cyprus.

In a televised message, House speaker Demetriou stressed the importance of water supply in a country like Cyprus, while in his own message, Andreas Gregoriou, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, referred to the problem in detail.

The objective of the event was to raise students’ awareness of the major challenges facing the water market, with speakers noting that: “having enough water to meet the needs of all users (households and businesses), promoting access to water, and encouraging users and operators to adopt good practices. To do this, we must act on demand to waste less and develop, when it makes sense, an unconventional supply. It is a new paradigm that must be found, around managing demand and stabilising supply”.

In this context, students, accompanied by experts, identified innovative solutions on four themes, applied to two projects in France and Cyprus:

  • Public-private co-design: integrate resilience issues related to water shorages/excesses into project design
  • Sustainable business model: identify water-saving technologies and practices, including recycling,

in operations

  • Community engagement: encourage users to reduce their water consumption through communication,

a new business model, water conservation projects, etc.

  • Start-ups and innovation: innovate in circular water economy solutions

The results will be shared with the concerned authorities in Cyprus and a follow-up will be effected by LATHEA Group and the Goéland Overseas team, towards implementing the conference contribution in order to attract investors for new desalination plants in Cyprus.

The event saw the participation of the following distinguished speakers from Cyprus and France:

Cyprus

Efthymios Diplaros, Member of the House of Representatives in Cyprus, Andreas Gregoriou, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Cyprus, Chrysanthos Fakas, Deputy Mayor of Nicosia – Cyprus, Nicos Neocleous, Secretary of Cyprus Water Association and Richard El Khoury, Chairman LATHEA Group, Cyprus (DBA Candidate Audencia Business School). Also attending the conference were Antoine El Khoury, President Goéland Overseas, Rana Haddad, Managing Partner LATHEA Group / DBA Candidate Audencia Business School and Katerina Kavazi, Architect.

France

Simon Porcher, Professor – University Paris Danphine, Tristan Mathieu, Director Public Affairs & CSR Veolia, Christian Piel, Director Urbanwater and Camille Thisse, Operations Manager – Docks of Saint Quen.