Doha: The Arab League stressed the need to work on managing water resources in an integrated and fair manner, and cooperation between all sectors and societies to achieve water security and ensure water security at the national and regional levels.
According to Qatar News Agency, in a statement on the occasion of the celebration of Arab Water Day, which falls on March 3 of each year, HE Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Economic Affairs sector in the Arab League Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al Malki said that the water issue is one of the important topics that the General Secretariat of the Arab League follows up through the Department of Housing, Water Resources and Disaster Reduction (Technical Secretariat of the Arab Ministerial Water Council), which meets periodically every year to follow up on everything related to this important topic and coordinate Arab positions in this field.
He indicated that Arab countries celebrate Arab Water Day under the theme “sustainable water for a better water future”, as this theme highlights the importance of developing the water sector and addressing the challenges facing Arab countries in achieving water security. He noted that Arab countries are among the most water-scarce countries in the world, as most of the population lives in a state of water scarcity that poses a major challenge to achieving sustainable development because it directly affects the ability to ensure access to water, which also affects energy, food, and economic development.
He also stressed that Arab Water Day comes this year amidst dangerous circumstances that the Arab region is going through due to the escalation of wars and conflicts, especially the recent Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the massive destruction it caused to lives, property, and all aspects of life. He pointed out that the Israeli occupation has deliberately targeted the water and sanitation sector since the beginning of the aggression, seeking to use water as a collective punishment and means of blackmail against the Palestinians.