The Second Arab Water Conference officially opened in Doha, Qatar, under the auspices of Kahramaa and the Arab Ministerial Water Council.
The conference is being held under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the State of Qatar, with the theme "Toward the Rational Management of Water resources in Arab Countries - Sustainable and Creative Solutions to Meet Current Challenges.”
The opening ceremony was held at the Ritz-Carlton Doha with the presence of ministers, dignitaries and delegates from all over the Arab world.
During the opening ceremony, H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the State of Qatar welcomed all the delegations participating in this important regional summit. He said the Arab world faces many challenges of water and of the lack of water resources coupled with high demand to meet the requirements of the developing nations.
His Excellency the Prime Minister said that the Government of Qatar under the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is working to support the needs of the state regarding water sustainability and has mandated the creation of a clear and comprehensive strategy for the management of all natural resources, in accordance with the highest international standards.
His Excellency the Prime Minister said that this conference is a great opportunity to support sustainable development programs in the region and he expressed his confidence in the outcomes of the conference papers and discussions, saying that they would contribute to finding solutions to the many challenges facing the Arab countries in the water sector.
H.E. Dr. Mohammed Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy & Industry Affairs said: " Water is a crucial topic in the in the Arab world and we need to unify our approach to meeting these challenges that threaten the sustainability of our economies. They also impact national development and long-term stability within the Arab world. The biggest challenges we face are the reliance on imported water, drought and the depletion of natural resources.
"There are between eighteen to twenty Arab states under the 'water poverty' line, where there is a deficit of thousands of cubic meters per year per capita. Among them, eight countries suffer from extreme water deficiency, with per capita water access of just a hundred to two hundred cubic meters per year.
"While agriculture comprises about eighty-five percent of total water consumption in the Arab region, increasing pressures are exerted by climate change, high evaporation, and declining rainfall. This affects not just the water available for agriculture but also the overall quality of arable land.
"Add to this, factors such as the deterioration of surface or groundwater water quality, and contamination of reservoirs, the negative effects can also extend into the environment and public health.
"In the GCC region, our countries face harsh climates and there are large areas with scarce natural water resources. With the absence of the rivers in our region, rising salinity of water bodies and groundwater depletion add to the challenge. However, we are also the highest average per capita consumers of water in the world.
"To tackle this imbalance, the State of Qatar has always emphasized the importance of a consensus and partnership between the GCC countries based on a strategy for the region's long-term water security to ensure both the responsible use of resources as well as ensure a sustainable future for our region," said H.E. Dr. Al Sada.
H.E. Eng. Essa Bin Hilal Al Kuwari, Chairman of the Organizing Committee and President of Kahramaa said: The interest in water resources management is clearly reflected in the great interest shown by the scholars and technical experts represented in the papers and research presented at the conference this year.
"The scientific committee received numerous submissions and shortlisted 48 papers for presentation at the 2nd Arab Water Conference. A major highlight of the preceding day was a workshop organized by the council in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) focusing on the use of brackish water in agriculture in the region."
In conclusion, H.E. Essa Bin Hilal Al Kuwari on behalf of the Organizing Committee expressed his gratitude to His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior for his patronage of the Conference and to the H.E. the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, and to HE the Minister of Energy and Industry for their continued support.
He also thanked the technical and scientific secretariat and the ministerial council, the working committees and the sponsors and all those who contributed to delivering the excellent organization of The Second Arab Water Conference.
