Constructive Arab cooperation to overcome current challenges …

Mr. Khalid Al-Fadel, Minister of Petroleum, Electricity and Water of Kuwait, Chairman of the Arab Ministerial Council for Water, emphasized the importance of the implementation of This is a real Arab framework for constructive cooperation to overcome the current challenges of the water and food crises in the Arab region.

This came in a speech made on his behalf Thursday by the Kuwaiti Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States, Ambassador Ahmed Al-Bakr, at the joint meeting of Arab Ministers of Agriculture and Trade. Water at the headquarters of the Arab League.

Al-Fadil emphasized the importance of policy coherence and access to joint programs and projects through the joint ministerial committee of Arab Ministers of Water and Agriculture. .

He also emphasized the importance of finding solutions, investment and financing opportunities for agricultural water management, as well as enhancing the effectiveness of its use in Arab countries to monitor and implement the Sustainable Development Plan by 2030 and to achieve its economic, social and environmental goals.

He stressed the need to ensure the continuity of "positive" relations between food, water and energy to promote the progress and prosperity of the Arab world.

At the same time, he stressed that the water situation in Arab countries "forces us to face many challenges, including the scarcity of water resources and their limits given the continuing population growth, of urban growth and economic growth ".

He stressed that climate risks and its obvious effects resulting from the scarcity of rainfall, increasing drought and desertification "cast a shadow over the economic, social and environmental situation of the Arab region and directly affect every Arab citizen and create new challenges ".

"This calls for more efforts and conservation of water resources and ensuring continuity for future generations," he said, pointing out that the agricultural sector is one of the most important sectors. most closely related to the water sector.

He stressed that agricultural projects are not active and can increase productivity and that economic growth is tangible and achieve food security only through the existence of practices and mechanisms aimed at to improve the management of water resources and promote the efficiency of water use in agriculture.

Al-Fadhel said that the Arab world is currently facing a food deficit that is the largest in the world, given the growing and huge food needs on the one hand, the scarcity of water resources and degradation agricultural land.

He emphasized that this food deficit necessitated the establishment of sound policies aimed at improving the management of water resources and the development of management through the application of mechanisms and practices of coordination between the sectors of water. 39 water and agriculture, as well as seeking investment and financing solutions to support the self-sufficiency of the Arab world and minimize the existing food deficit.

He stressed that the League of Arab States is constantly seeking to coordinate the water and agriculture sectors, in line with the call of the Arab Ministerial Council for Water for the establishment of a technical committee. Permanent Joint Commission composed of senior officials from the water and agriculture sectors to institutionalize coordination efforts.

The ministers concerned and their representatives from Arab countries, as well as experts and senior officials from Arab, regional and international organizations, as well as representatives of financial institutions and donor countries, will participate in the first joint meeting.

The meeting will discuss two of the most important challenges facing the Arab region: food security, water security and ways to enhance cooperation in water and sanitation. agriculture between Arab countries.