MoEI reiterates commitment to water security and sustainability

The Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), Sharif Al Olama, highlighted that the Arab Water Forum in Abu Dhabi is an ideal platform to underscore the importance of the life-sustaining resource.

He reiterated the UAE's commitment to raising awareness of water conservation and to achieving water security and sustainability.

Al Olama noted that the UAE has gone a long way in conserving water resources through pioneering projects, such as water desalination plants and networks, and that the UAE is keen on collaborating with its international partners to improve water security worldwide.

He said, "In the UAE, water is one of the most important national priority issues, given our geographical location in an arid area, the scarcity of our natural water resources, and the high demand for water for development purposes. We work diligently to increase reliance on non-conventional water resources to produce fresh water for drinking and other purposes. Non-conventional water resources contribute 53 per cent of our water supply. This includes desalinated seawater and treated wastewater."

He noted that in 2017, the Ministry unveiled the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, which aims to ensure sustainable water access during normal and emergency conditions. The overall objectives of the strategy are to reduce the total demand for water resources by 21 per cent, reduce the water scarcity index by three degrees, and increase the reuse of treated water to 95 per cent.

He added, "In addition, we announced the first hydrogeological map and geo-database of the UAE, a milestone achievement in documenting and managing water sources with the goal of sustaining and conserving water. We also launched the National Energy and Water Demand Management Programme 2050, which aims to rationalise water consumption and improve the environmental performance and efficiency of energy and water plants.

A United Nations report indicated that the UAE has achieved an average of 100 per cent in providing safe drinking water and sanitation services and 79 per cent in integrated water resources management, one of the region's best results. The UAE seeks to improve this result in the coming years by ensuring alignment and integration between the country's water, energy, environment, and food strategies.