Minister participates in Arab Water Conference

Manama, May. 3 (BNA): Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr. Abdulhussain Mirza participated in a discussion along with other ministers, senior officials and decision makers in the water sector, during the Third Arab Water Conference in Kuwait on May 2- 3. The discussion, on the theme, Arab integration in water resources management", also spoke of challenges faced by the water sector in Arab countries, water security policy and water sustainability. Dr. Mirza explained the need for inter-linkages between sectors related to water resources and their uses to ensure the sustainability of the water sector in the service of development goals in the Arab countries. He said the Arab region is witnessing a strong relationship and close interdependence between the sectors of water, energy and food. The region is known for its richness in fossils and renewable sources of energy, he added. He said to provide clean water for human consumption, energy must be used and to provide adequate food for the growing population, more water is needed. Dr. Mirza also spoke about Bahrain’s plans in this field. He said that the government has established a coordinating body at the national level to ensure integrated planning between the various water sectors and between the water sector and the energy and food sectors. He said Bahrain has taken a further step towards the sustainable and integrated management of its water resources. One of the first tasks of the Water Resources Council was to guide the preparation of the National Strategy and its Executive Plan for Bahrain for the period 2017-2030, in the light of the unified water strategy in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries that were adopted by the GCC leaders at the Bahrain Summit in December 2016. He said the agreements take into account the interdependence of water, energy and food, as well as the interlinkages of the three sectors to environment and climate change. The minister praised the pioneering experience of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the production and desalination of solar water and the steps they have taken in this project, which ensures the sustainability of desalinated water through clean and sustainable energy. F.K.N.