Yemen calls from Cairo for a comprehensive Arab approach to enhance water security and support water infrastructure.

Yemen Participates in Arab Water Ministerial Council Meeting

The Republic of Yemen participated today in the seventeenth meeting of the Arab Ministerial Council for Water, held in Cairo, Egypt. The Yemeni delegation was led by Minister of Water and Environment, Engineer Tawfiq Al-Sharjabi.

Call for Integrated Arab Approach

In his address, Minister Al-Sharjabi urged the adoption of a comprehensive Arab approach to enhance Yemen’s capacity to address water security challenges. He emphasized the need to protect water and sanitation services and to boost funding for infrastructure rehabilitation and national capacity building.

Importance of Arab Cooperation

Al-Sharjabi highlighted the significance of strengthening Arab cooperation to transition towards practical and sustainable solutions. He pointed out that years of conflict, along with economic and climatic pressures, have exacerbated water challenges in Yemen.

Integrated Water Resource Management

The minister stressed the necessity of adopting integrated water resource management. He advocated for expanding desalination, wastewater treatment and reuse, rainwater harvesting, and improving the efficiency of available resources.

Support for Conflict-Affected Countries

Al-Sharjabi called for enhanced Arab support for countries affected by conflicts. He insisted on ensuring the continuity of water and sanitation services and protecting facilities and personnel in accordance with international humanitarian law. Additionally, he urged for mobilizing funding to rehabilitate priority infrastructure.

Proposal for an Arab Water and Agriculture Observatory

The minister noted the importance of studying the establishment of an Arab observatory for water and agriculture. He suggested developing a joint Arab mechanism for data and information exchange to support sound planning and evidence-based decision-making.

Shared Responsibility for Arab Water Security

Al-Sharjabi affirmed that Arab water security represents a shared responsibility. He called for enhancing partnerships and integrating efforts to produce actionable and monitorable decisions that support sustainable development and stability in the Arab region.

Participation in the Arab Water Conference

In a related context, the Minister of Water and Environment participated in the opening of the seventh Arab Water Conference. This conference, held under the theme “Water in the Arab Region: Partnerships for Peace and Sustainable Development,” aims to discuss Arab water security issues and ways to enhance cooperation in managing shared water resources, addressing water scarcity, climate change, and developing innovative solutions for sustainable water resource management.

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