Aly M. Shady. Photo: ICID.
Mr. Aly M. Shady P.Eng., co-founder of the World Water Council (WWC) and the Arab Water Council (AWC), passed away on 27 December 2012, in Ottawa, Canada. Born in the Nile Delta of Egypt in 1942, Mr Shady lived in Canada for the past 35 years, where he completed his MSc at McGill University. In 1979 he joined the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). He created and eventually lead the Agency’s Irrigation Sector before being appointed its Senior Water Advisor.
One of Mr. Shady’s last assignments was for one of Canada’s three “signature projects” in Afghanistan, the controversial CA$ 50 million Dhala Dam. Canadian newspaper The Star criticised the project for its failure “to provide enough water in the driest months”.
Besides the WWC and AWC, Mr Shady also helped set up the International Drainage Workshops and the International Program for Technology Research in Irrigation and Drainage (IPTRID). He served as Treasurer, Vice President and Governor of the WWC. Mr Shady was elected President of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) in 1996 and became Honorary President in 1999. In 2004 he was elected President of the International International Water Resources Association (IWRA).
Source: ICID – Obituary and Tribute ; World Water Council
