Latest news with #water security
Arab News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
UN report praises Kingdom's achievements in integrated water resources management
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia shared its experience of advancing water security and sustainability in a region of extreme water scarcity during the SDG 6 Water Action Agenda Special Event in New York. The event was held on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the UN's headquarters, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. It followed UN-Water's recognition of Saudi Arabia as one of the countries showing clear and measurable progress in integrated water resources management under SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) 6. The Kingdom's delegation, led by Abdulaziz Al-Shaibani, the deputy minister for water at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, presented Saudi Arabia's approach to accelerating the progress of SDG 6. The event spotlighted successes in the sector and countries making significant strides. Saudi Arabia was highlighted in the report as a success story for its rapid progress in integrated water resources management, the SPA added. Al-Shaibani said that the Kingdom's efforts had brought notable improvements in efficiency, coordination, and service quality between 2017 and 2023. The Kingdom's integrated water resources management indicator rose from 57 percent to 83 percent during this period, marking one of the fastest global increases under SDG indicator 6.5.1, he said. Al-Shaibani stressed that strong support from the Kingdom's leadership had enabled significant structural and organizational reforms to aid sustainable water management. With substantial investments to expand and modernize water infrastructure, these efforts had raised the Kingdom's 'enabling environment' score from 42 percent in 2017 to 87 percent in 2023, he added.
Arab News
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Iraq plans to build 10 dams to harvest desert rains, as drought displaces 10,000 families in Dhi Qar
LONDON: Iraq has announced plans to build 10 dams to harvest water in desert areas, as part of an urgent strategy to boost water security amid dwindling supplies. The effects of climate change and the construction of dams in neighboring countries, including Turkiye, have significantly affected water levels of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which are vital lifelines for Iraqis. The Iraqi minister of water resources, Awn Dhiab Abdullah, said on Monday that the dams would store floodwater and rainwater in the desert to build up strategic reserves, especially in provinces lacking in surface-water resources. 'The shortage the country is experiencing is the most dangerous in its history, forcing 12 provinces to rely exclusively on groundwater to cover their various needs,' he said. Dhi Qar, which is in southern Iraq, has experienced one of its worst summers on record, with severe water shortages and drought forcing nearly 10,000 families in rural areas to abandon their homes and migrate to urban areas. Abdullah said that more than half of Iraq's desert region relies on groundwater supplies. He emphasized the importance of water-harvesting projects and the need to reduce dependence on traditional sources.
