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The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Mohamed Abdel Aati, today held its fifth session in Cairo with the participation of representatives of 25 Arab countries. Within the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), more than 400 board members, representatives of Arab governments, ambassadors, representatives of diplomatic missions in Cairo, representatives of regional and international organizations, representatives of civil society , civil society organizations, public figures, writers, intellectuals and the media.
The text of the speech of Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, is as follows:
His Excellency Dr. Mahmoud Abu Zeid
President of the Arab Water Council
His Excellency Dr. Saifuddin Hamad Abdullah
Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources of the Republic of Sudan
His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Abdel Ati
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Mrs. Nadia Makram Ebaid
Director of the Arab Center for Environment and Development in the Arab Region and Europe (Cidari)
Mr Murad Wehbe
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Regional Director
For the United Nations Development Program in the Arab States
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to thank all those who participated in the preparation and work of the Fifth Session of the General Assembly of the Arab Water Council, which will be greatly appreciated by all participants from Arab countries, regional and international organizations and research centers for their presence and participation in the activities of the Arab Water Council. This session.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The issue of water, in all its environmental, economic, social, political and strategic dimensions, is at the heart of the challenges that the Arab world will face in the coming years and decades: the question of the present and the future future, the question of life, of existence, As peoples and governments – with responsibility, vigilance and total attention to the needs of today and those of the future distant.
We are all aware that the issue of water is an important part of the international agenda, while monitoring the growing dangers of drought and water scarcity in the future as well as the different strategies to deal with situations whose dimensions may not be fully predictable at the moment. This is more difficult and it will put additional pressure on the planet's water resources in the face of population growth, the need for development and the foraging, which has been added as a result of its strong presence in all discussions about the water scarcity. Origin and more difficult to cope with these situations.
Recently, we have witnessed serious manifestations of climate change: Cape Town has become the first major city to face people's access to water, and a similar phenomenon in Sao Paulo, Brazil. For the need to solve the problem by planning and preparing fully before it hits us.
It is not uncommon for all of you that the Arab region suffers from water scarcity and varying degrees of drought, which will worsen over time due to the phenomenon of climate change. The Arab region also has the largest food deficit in the world and, before and after, the highest population in the population – perhaps excluding sub-Saharan Africa.
The fact is that 85% of Arab water flows outside the Arab territories and we are facing a real challenge in the general strategic sense: we have already witnessed serious social and economic manifestations of the phenomenon of scarcity. 39 water in some Arab regions, we have witnessed manifestations of instability, unrest and violence.
It became clear that the drought season that had been raging in Syria for years was partly responsible for the deterioration of living conditions in rural areas and the migration of hundreds of thousands of people to the cities, creating a general state of affairs. from civil unrest and tension as well as an environment conducive to extremist violence and recruitment, In Yemen, there was a serious shortage of water resources before the present war and it has no no doubt contributed to exacerbating the suffering of the population and increasing social and economic pressures, without ever forgetting the suffering of the Palestinians, their waters and their aquifers in the West Bank. These waters looted pumped into illegal settlements on occupied lands, in stark contrast not only with international law, but with human consciousness.
Ladies and gentlemen..
Since its creation in 2004, the Arab Water Council has played a central role in understanding and managing water resources. The work and activities of the Council have not ceased in the past period – despite all the regional and international conditions and changes Regional and international levels.
The Arab Water Council is a key partner of the Arab Ministerial Council on Water, set up at the initiative of the Arab League in 2008, convinced of the priority of the issue of security of the sea. Arabic water. The Arab Ministerial Council on Water held its first session in 2009 in Algeria, marking the beginning of a new phase of Arab joint action in the field of water. The Arab Strategy for Water Security 2010-2030, which is the result of joint action by all actors of water issues in Arab countries and partners, was adopted during of the Arab summit that was held in Baghdad in 2012 and its executive plan was approved at the 2016 Summit in Nouakchott.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Arab countries need concerted action in the field of water, at the strategic, political and technical levels. The issue of water, while the essence of resource management, has political and strategic dimensions that require Arab coordination at the highest levels and at all levels. The Arab League will hold the first joint meeting of Arab Ministers of Irrigation and Agriculture next April. It is undoubtedly an important step, reflecting the complex nature of the water issue, which requires a concerted effort and coordination of work and activities. The only nation and between Arab countries and others.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the work done by the Arab Water Council and to thank His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Abu Zeid and His Excellency Mr. Hussein Al Atefi, Secretary General of the Council, for their cooperation with the Ministerial Council for Water. 39 water for the sole purpose of ensuring the safety of water. Real for the present Arab generation and for future generations, God willing.
Thank you
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