Qatar takes part in Arab League water security and management conferences
Adelegation from Qatar participated in the 14th session of the Arab Ministerial Water Council, and the 4th Arab Water Conference, which kicked off yesterday at the Arab League General Secretariat headquarters in Egyptian capital Cairo.
The delegation of Qatar to the two events was headed by HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the League of Arab States Salem Mubarak al-Shafi.
Held under the theme Arab water security for life, development and peace, the 4th Arab Water Conference is aimed at promoting policies of integration and coherence in the management of the water, agriculture and energy sectors and linking them to technology and innovation.
The two-day conference seeks to strengthen co-operation amongst member nations in the area of transboundary waters, in line with the sixth United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG6), the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, and the Convention on the Law of Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses.
Discussions at the 4th Arab Water Conference will primarily focus on a number of topics that are related to water security and its relation to sustainable development, peace and the management of developments, and the regional and international changes affecting the water sector.
Addressing the Conference on behalf of the Arab League secretary-general, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Media and Communication Sector of the Arab League Ahmed Rashid Khattabi noted the worrying situation of water in the world, where freshwater accounts for only 3% of water supply for more than 8bn people.
He indicated that the Arab world is classified within the poor areas in terms of freshwater sources, containing less than 1% of the surface run-off, and about 2% of the world’s total rainfall.
Khattabi stressed on the urgent need to mobilise all capacities and potentials at both the government level, the relevant organisations of civil society and research centres throughout the Arab world.
He said that this is needed to achieve greater co-operation and exchange of national experiences on water conservation. – QNA