Within the framework of advisory services provided by ESCWA to member countries, the Commission contributed with the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) in the preparation and finalization of the concept note and project proposal for a new groundwater research project. This project aims at enhancing the knowledge and skills of stakeholders in the water sector to formulate policies, implement programmes and develop institutional frameworks aimed at promoting integrated management of water resources. In this context, Ralf Klingbeil, ESCWA Regional Advisor on Water, met with KISR managers and scientists in Kuwait from 29 June to 3 July 2015. 
Klingbeil assisted in the project proposal development, and he is still backstopping its progress through substantial external review and ongoing dialogue with the project team. He discussed the project with Muhammad Al-Rashed, Executive Director of the Water Research Center, Adnan Akbar, Division Director for Science and Technology, Mohammed Al-Senafy, Program Manager for Water Resources Development and Management, and Amjad Aliewi, the main Research Scientist of the proposed project.
The Water Research Center at KISR as one of the leading centers for water research in the region is aiming to increase knowledge and understanding of water resources and water technologies in Kuwait and the region. For the new groundwater research project, it is proposed to study the groundwater in the Dibdibba formation. The Dibdibba aquifer is an important source of fresh and brackish groundwater in Kuwait. The proposed project aims to better estimate the water budget for the aquifer; improve the understanding of recharge mechanisms and volumes to the aquifer; better understand distribution of the water quality within the aquifer; and propose plans for the development and management of the resource. 
It is worth noting that ESCWA also provides relevant data and information from the ESCWA-BGR Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia. ( http://waterinventory.org )