At the invitation of Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux group, the members of the Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC) met for their first meeting on February 4, 2000. The Committee's purpose is to engage in advance study and reflection on important future water resource issues, one of the planet's major challenges for coming decades.
WRAC is an independent committee composed of 19 eminent persons from varying backgrounds, disciplines, and nationalities; its work will be carried out in complete independence. The Committee will be consulted and deliberate on social and environmental issues raised by major Group projects, as well as on basic principles related to public-private partnerships.

Indeed, the complexity of the subject, the interests at stake and the professionalism needed for managing the resource together call for new answers and new partnerships. The search for innovative solutions, whether technical, scientific, or institutional, necessarily requires a shared approach: sharing of skills and financing between the public and private sectors, and sharing of knowledge among researchers throughout the world.

By creating the Water Resources Advisory Committee, the Group has shown its determination to take an active part in the thinking required to meet these major environmental challenges and, in due course, to provide answers to water supply problems which are worsening throughout the world.

Members of the Water Resources Advisory Committee

Chairman : Margaret Catley-Carlson (Canada)
International consultant for various organizations, Conseil Mondial de l'Eau (CME), Former Chairman of World Population Council and of CIDA

Name Country Profession / institution Specialty

M. Mohamed BENBLIDIA Algeria Engineer, Professor, Chairman of l'Institut Méditerranéen de l'Eau, Former Secretary General of the Ministry of Hydraulique, de l'Environnement et de la Mise en Valeur des terres Hydraulics, Land development
Ms. Laurence BOISSON de CHARZOURNES France Chairman of the Department of International Law, Professor of Law at Université de Genève International water law and the environment
M. Adil BOUSHNAK Saudi Arabia Engineer, Professor and Consultant Supreme Economic Council Desalination and water processing, Hydraulic infrastructures
M. Madhav Atmaram CHITALE India Engineer, Chairman of the South Asia Technical Advisory Committee, Global Water Partnership, World Water Council, ICID Irrigation, drainage, integrated watershed management, management and protection of water quality in the field
M. Manuel CONTIJOCH-ESCONTRIA Mexico Engineer, Chairman of the Mexican Commission of Irigation and Drainage,General Manager, Ministry of Agriculture, FIRCO consultant Irrigation drainage, Agriculture, Water resources
M. Michel DESBORDES France Hydrologist, Professor at Université de Montpellier II Urban Hydrology and Hydraulics, Rainwater
M. Alfred. DUDA United States Hydrologist, Biologist, International lawyer, consultant, Global Environment Facility Water resources, soils, Environment, Water law
M. José-Maria FLUXA Spain Engineer, Professor Université de Madrid, Chairman of Foro de Agua, a group of spanish engineers specialized in water issues Water resources
M. Gilberto GALLOPIN Argentina Biologist, Director of systems for sustainable development at the Swedich Environment Institute Sustainable ecological development
M. Namik KILIC Turkey Economist, Consultant, PROFIN A.S. Privatizations, Economy, BOOT
M. Cosimo LACIRIGNOLA Italia Agronomist, Advisor, Chairman Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen, World Water Council, Member of the Office of the Minister of Agriculture Agronomy, Agricultural policy
M. Guy Le Moigne France Advisor, CME International Institutions
M. Jean Margat France Engineer, Consultant at the Bureau de Recherche Géologique et Minière, Vice Chairman of Plan-Bleu Hydrogeology, prospecting Mediterranean water resources
M. Koussai QUTEISHAT Jordan Engineer, General Manager of the Middle East Desalination Research Center Former Minister of Water and Irrigation Irrigation, Desalination, Water management in parched areas
M. Abdullah SHARIZAILA Malaysia Engineer, International Water Management Institute, former Chairman of the International Commission of Irrigation and Drainage, Consultant, CME Irrigation, drainage, coastline protection, Floods, integrated management of watersheds
M. Pierre Frédéric TENIERE-BUCHOT France Engineer, Economist CME, GWP, Founding Member of l'Académie de l'Eau, UNEP, former Chairman of l'Agence de Bassin Seine Normandie Water resources Institutional questions
M. Lahoucine TIJANI Morocco Engineer, General Manager of l'Office National de l'Eau Potable Former Secrétaire d'Etat à l'Environnement Potable water Environment
Ms. Patricia WOUTERS Scotland Professor of International Public Law, University of Dundee Water law