ABU DHABI, 6th June, 2024 (WAM) — ADNEC Group and the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy today announced their partnership at a signing ceremony, appointing Capital 360 Event Experiences as the Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) for the prestigious International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) World Congress at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from 8th-12th December 2024.
As the PCO, Capital 360 Event Experiences, the event services arm of ADNEC Group, will work alongside the Group’s venue and tourism clusters to oversee and project manage the entire event and ensure that delegations and attendees experience a world-class event. Under the theme “Addressing Water Scarcity”, the IDRA 2024 World Congress and its accompanying exhibition offer an essential hub for thought leadership and an interactive forum for innovative technical and business-led solutions to address global water scarcity and secure a sustainable future.
Hosted by the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy with the cooperation of key government stakeholders, IDRA World Congress 2024 will focus on Integrated Water Resource Management with an emphasis on desalination and water reuse to help address accelerating global demand for water in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal Number 6, “Water and Sanitation for All”.
Ahmed Mohammed Al Rumaithi, Under-Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, said, “The extensive expertise, high potential and diverse resources in Abu Dhabi will serve as crucial assets in attaining the conference’s objectives and fulfilling its aspirations, aligning with the goals of participating entities, industry leaders, experts, visitors, and stakeholders concerned with sustainability, particularly regarding water, an essential environmental resource for both the present and the future.
“The UAE is leading sustainable development in the region, particularly in water conservation. The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative underscores the nation’s dedication to raising awareness about the water scarcity crisis on the global stage. It aims to expedite the development of innovative, sustainable technological solutions, foster international cooperation, and bolster investments to tackle this pressing global challenge,” stated the Undersecretary of the Department of Energy.”
Al Rumaithi continued, “Abu Dhabi’s global leadership is embodied through the initiation of numerous significant projects in water desalination. This includes the implementation of low-carbon technologies like the Al Taweelah reverse osmosis desalination plant. Furthermore, the city adopts innovative tools and employs advanced technology to enhance water efficiency and ensure water security while also rationalising energy and natural resource usage for sustainability. The Department of Energy has issued various regulations and policies aimed at maximising the benefits of recycled water, implementing a water management policy in district cooling plants, and soon launching low-carbon water certificates to monitor emissions from desalination processes.”
As a significant proportion of the global population still lacks access to safe water, sanitation, and handwashing facilities, new desalination and water reuse technologies offer great potential as resilient solutions to help meet rising global water demand. The IDRA World Congress 2024 will identify new sustainable water security options that will meet challenges posed by predicted population growth, increased industrial water requirements, and weather fluctuations due to global climate change.
Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNEC Group, said, “Organising and hosting the International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) World Congress in Abu Dhabi comes within the framework of ADNEC Group’s strategic vision to support and promote the business tourism sector and international events and conferences.
Al Dhaheri stressed the importance of the role played by the various teams within the ADNEC Group in securing the hosting rights for IDRA in Abu Dhabi. Their exceptional efforts and distinguished presentation to the Higher Organising Committee were instrumental in Abu Dhabi’s successful bid to host this prestigious global event at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi.
Spanning five days, the IDRA World Congress 2024 agenda will feature four parallel tracks of full-day technical sessions along with high-level plenary sessions, a Leaders Summit, a Desalination Hackathon, Roundtable Sessions, IDRA Academy Courses, Plant Tours, a Welcome Reception, a Gala Dinner with Awards Ceremony, and a Closing Luncheon with Technical Award presentations.
To ensure the success of the event, IDRA World Congress 2024 will have the full support of ADNEC Venues operations team and venue management services. With a total surface area for shows now exceeding 153,000 square metres, the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi is the largest centre for exhibitions and conferences in the MENA region and an ideal location for major international gatherings.