CAIRO — Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli stressed that Saudi Arabia has provided several qualitative initiatives to face water challenges and realize a sustainable water security that support economic, social and environmental aspects locally, regionally, internationally.

In his speech during the 14th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Water, held in conjunction with the Fourth Arab Water Conference organized by the Palestine under the theme "Arab Water Security for Life, Development and Peace", Al-Fadhli noted that the current session discussed the main challenges facing the water sector in the Arab world.

The discussion aims to promote joint cooperation mechanisms that contribute to providing practical solutions to these challenges in order to enhance the utilization of all renewable and non-renewable water sources and achieve sustainable water security in the Arab world.

The minister pointed out that the main challenges facing the water sector at the Arab level are the current and future demand for water as an essential component of life to meet human needs and sustain economic and social growth.

This, he said, requires all to increase cooperation and joint action at all levels of programs and initiatives to achieve water security in all its aspects through the optimal utilization of water resources to meet the needs of current and future generations, while adopting business and governance mechanisms that contribute to improving the level of service delivery to all water-consuming sectors.

He also referred to the interests and support that the water sector in Saudi Arabia receive from the wise leadership to face the challenge of limited water resources, where the ministry has developed a national strategy for water as part of the Saudi Vision 2030.

The strategy has strategic goals, programs and initiatives that act as one system to enhance water resources management and increase the quality of water services to all beneficiary sectors, with having programs adopting research and innovation as a strategic option to increase efficiency and building the capacity of the sector.

The minister referred to the ministry’s participation in the UN Conference of the Parties (COP27), which was recently held in Sharm El-Sheikh, to support issues and challenges in the environmental, water and agricultural sectors and in a way to realize the interests of the Arab region and the world.

The Kingdom also contributed, as part of its international efforts, to including the challenges and issues of water of the Arab countries within the agenda of the G20 during the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s presidency of the group in 2020.

The minister expressed hope for the 14th session to reach effective and sustainable recommendations and decisions that can enhance cooperation to develop effective and sustainable solutions to realize water security for regional countries.

He also extended invitations to Arab ministers to attend the meetings of the 15th session that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is preparing to host next year. — SPA