EcoPeace Middle East has successfully led a second tour in the Jordan valley on the 25th of February, 2015. The visit coordinated in collaboration with the Jordan Valley Authority included his Excellency Mr. Saed Abu Hamour Head of the JVA along with Israeli experts and consultants from the Israeli Lower Jordan River Drainage Authority.
The purpose of the visit was to discuss the ongoing and future sustainable development projects on the Jordanian side, in addition to advancing the implementation of National and Regional rehabilitation plans in the Valley.
To this end, a Jordanian Master Plan coordinated between EcoPeace and the JVA was presented listing a set of national interventions for the Jordan Valley and the River in specific. The interventions once implemented are expected to develop a healthy economic path for the valley and its people on the one hand, and a Jordan River with sufficient environmental flow to sustain a healthy eco-system on the other hand as stated in the Master Plan. It is also worth stressing that the Masterplan presents a long term vision of cooperation between all concerned parties.
The Bakoura National Park, an EcoPeace spearheaded project, is one example of the interventions proposed to develop the Valley. Jointly with the JVA, the organization signed an MoU last year to develop the location into a National Park. The project will be of great value for the rehabilitation of the river, for tourism, and for peace commented Mr Abdul Rahman Sultan; Assistant Director.
During the tour, the visitors were introduced to the organization’s vision and future plans to best utilize the location and its 
features to attract tourism. The quality of freshwater allocated for the Jordan River as agreed upon by the Jordanian/ Israeli treaty to rehabilitate the River was tackled. The visitors also agreed on the construction of a joint monitoring station along the Jordan River from the Yarmuk to Bezeq.
The tour concluded at the Sharhabil Bin Hassneh EcoPark whereby its value as an educational center for environmental awareness and sustainability was presented.
For more information about the Bakoura park, click here
This post is contributed by Samar M. Salma, EcoPeace’s Media Officer at the Amman Office.