The Middle East and North Africa have longstanding water supply and sanitation challenges.  In 2011, US Agency for International Development (USAID) partnered with Development Alternatives Inc. to end the global freshwater crisis by implementing the Furthering the Blue Revolution Initiative (FABRI). This program helps create Middle East and North Africa Network of Water Centers of Excellence (MENA NWC). Designed and launched by USAID through FABRI, DAI has partnered with the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences International Programs office to provide critical guidance on water resource and wastewater management in the formation of MENA NWC. The Center for Watershed Sciences is spearheading UC Davis participation in FABRI. UC Davis, along with four other U.S. public universities, is providing strategic guidance and research assistance to developing countries in these regions. It is the beginning of a long-term relationship with USAID and a continuation of the Center’s work in support of international research.