Ms. Inger Anderson and Mr. Fadi Shraideh, the acting Regional Director of ROWA, met H.E. the Prime Minister Dr. Abudllah Al Nsour where they discussed IUCN main achievements in West Asia in general in the past eleven years and in Jordan in particular. They had the chance to discuss the possibilities and ways of cooperation between IUCN and the government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in environmental issues in order to mainstream Jordan’s position and leading role in the field of environmental development in the region.

Knowing that the government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, through the Ministry of Environment (MoEnv), supports IUCN ROWA in moving forward in raising the environmental awareness and building capacities locally and regionally, this improves the quality and quantity of the implemented projects in the region. They also met the Minister of Environment H.E. Dr. Taher Shakhshir to thank him for the ministry’s efforts in supporting IUCN achievements in Jordan and facilitating its work on one hand and to discuss the possibilities and ways of cooperation between IUCN and the MoEnv on the other hand.

Since IUCN is an observer at the United Nations environmental Conventions, IUCN ROWA cooperated with the MoEnv to finalize Jordan's Third National Communication to UNFCCC and to update Jordan National Action Plan for Combating Desertification, Jordan National Action Plan for Biodiversity Conservation and Rangeland Strategy for Jordan. This was part of IUCN’s commitment to support its state members around the world.

Ms. Inger also met HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal to thank him for his keen support to IUCN approaches and his endorsement to Amman Declaration on Innovating Hima in May 2014 that aims at moving from scattered good practices in rangeland management towards more systematic scale up of Hima. Hima approach decreases poverty, improves economic development and conserves rangeland ecosystem and endangered species as well as mainstreams social justice and gender equity. This works with the mission of West Asia - North Africa (WANA) institute headed by HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal.

Hence, Ms. Inger discussed the opportunity of future cooperation with WANA Institute in order to support the IUCN’s activities in mainstreaming policies and programs that deal with developmental and humanitarian challenges in West Asia.