Ambassador's Water Experts Program

Image
AWEP Photo Collage

Climate change and the reduced availability of water is contributing to increasingly severe health and economic stability challenges worldwide. The global water crisis fosters insecurity and state failure, limiting the capacity of global partners to advance our shared priorities.

In support of the President’s Global Water Strategy, the Ambassador’s Water Experts Program (AWEP) is a partnership between DOI-ITAP and the Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs that recruits U.S. water specialists to lead short-term water technical assistance programs. 

AWEP seeks to engage key governments diplomatically and strengthen bilateral partnerships and intergovernmental organizations, while also leveraging the wealth of U.S. expertise in water.

To learn more, check out the program details below or reach out to DOI-ITAP Senior Project Manager Elizabeth Boynton (Elizabeth_Boynton@ios.doi.gov) for more information.

HOW IT WORKS

In coordination with foreign government counterparts, U.S. embassies and consulates can apply for short-term water technical assistance cooperation through the AWEP program managers. The application form asks for basic information regarding the specific water challenge, the areas of expertise requested, and the desired timeframe.

AWEP program managers then review the application and seek additional information if necessary. Once approved, DOI-ITAP will work with the embassies/consulates to recruit and select one or more technical experts from across the U.S. government, NGOs, the private sector, and academia.

With AWEP support, experts meet with senior officials, water ministry staff, utility operators, local water associations, and community groups. Programs are designed in close coordination with the U.S. embassy and include public diplomacy activities to raise local awareness of water issues. Such activities may include school or university presentations, speaking at public events, or local media interviews.

Programs can be held virtually or in person and typically include consultations, formal trainings, or workshops, and are 7-10 days in duration. 

For more information about hosting an AWEP, U.S. embassies and consulates can contact OESWaterTeam@state.gov.

To be added to the expert recruitment list, please reach out to DOI-ITAP Senior Project Manager Elizabeth Boynton at Elizabeth_Boynton@ios.doi.gov.
 

PREVIOUS PROGRAMS
Image
Map of AWEP Programs (September 2024)

Completed AWEP Engagements (Completion Date):

  • Armenia: Sustainable Groundwater Use (FY19 Q4)
  • Colombia: Dam Monitoring (FY19 Q4)
  • Uganda: Rural Water Data Management (FY19 Q4)
  • Ukraine: Water Stakeholder Management (FY19 Q4)
  • Vietnam: Water Quality Management (FY20 Q2)
  • Kyrgyzstan: Lake Issyk-Kul Assessment (FY20 Q1)
  • Morocco I (virtual): Desalination/Alternative Water Supply (FY22 Q2)
  • Afghanistan – Pakistan (virtual): Transboundary Groundwater Management (FY22 Q3)
  • Uzbekistan I (virtual): Agricultural Water Management (FY22 Q1)
  • Uzbekistan II (virtual): Agricultural Water Technologies (FY22 Q3)
  • Belize (virtual): Groundwater Monitoring (FY22 Q4)
  • Brazil (virtual): Agricultural Water and Drought (FY23 Q1)
  • Azerbaijan (virtual): Watershed-Scale Assessments and Water Supply Management (FY23 Q2)
  • Guatemala I: Water Treatment (FY23 Q2)
  • Tunisia: Drought Management and Water Reuse (FY23 Q2)
  • Lao: MRC River Monitoring Technology Competition (FY23 Q2)
  • Thailand: Mekong River Commission Joint Committee Retreat (FY23 Q3)
  • Argentina: Economic Analysis of Environmental Benefits to Water Conservation (FY23 Q4)
  • Philippines: Groundwater Mapping and Monitoring (FY23 Q4)
  • Guatemala II: Watershed Planning and Nature-based Solutions for Water Treatment (FY24 Q1)
  • Pakistan: Water Policy Development (FY24 Q1)
  • Cambodia: Broad Water Policy Support (FY24 Q1)
  • El Salvador: Drinking Water Regulatory Development (FY24 Q1)
  • Uzbekistan III (hybrid): Groundwater Quality Management (FY24 Q1)
  • Syria: Water Stakeholder Management/Groundwater Monitoring (FY24 Q2)

Ongoing AWEP Engagements:

  • Bangladesh: Water Data Management Tools
  • Barbados: Water Supply Management
  • Bolivia: Water Supply Monitoring and Water Reuse
  • Botswana: Water Data Management
  • Cambodia: Transboundary Water Resource Management
  • China: Climate Adaptation
  • Egypt: Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam/River Modelling
  • Fiji: Groundwater Modelling and Surveying
  • Kenya: Groundwater Supply Management
  • Kiribati/Tuvalu: Water Infrastructure Equipment
  • Marshall Islands: Groundwater Management
  • Mauritania: Dam Safety Monitoring and Enforcement
  • Mexico: Water Treatment and Reuse
  • Morocco II: Desalination and Water Reuse
  • Nepal: Water Resources Management (General Overview)
  • North Macedonia: Freshwater fisheries/Lake Ecosystems Management
  • Palau: Groundwater Mapping
  • Pakistan II: Water Policy Follow-Up
  • Panama: Wetlands Monitoring
  • Romania: Agricultural Water/Irrigation Infrastructure
  • Senegal: Remote Sensing for Groundwater
  • Thailand/Vietnam: Remote Sensing of Reservoirs (Stimson Center)
  • Turkey II: Water Solutions Technologies
  • Turkmenistan: Agricultural Water/Water Efficiency
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Was this page helpful?

Please provide a comment