Plans to establish the ‘Global Water Organisation’ have been announced by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. The organisation will aim to integrate and enhance the efforts made by governments and organisations in securing global water sustainably, and will have its headquarters in Riyadh.
According to a report by the Saudi Press Agency, one of the organisation’s most important goals is to establish quality projects and facilitate their financing, in an effort to ensure the sustainability of water resources and to enhance access to them for all. It also plans to exchange expertise, advance technology, foster innovation, and share research and development experiences. Moreover, it will promote the establishment and funding of high-priority projects, ensuring the sustainability of water resources and their accessibility for everyone.
The report noted that, over the years, the Kingdom has spent over US $6bn on a number of water and sanitation projects covering four continents, highlighting its notable achievements in water production, transportation, and distribution, leveraging locally developed innovative solutions.
On 6 September 2023, Big Project Middle East will host its inaugural Future of Water Summit at the Habtoor Grand Resort, JBR, Dubai. Registration is complementary but mandatory for industry professionals. Click here to register.
According to senior Saudi officials, these achievements have been internationally recognised. “Additionally, Saudi Arabia plays a key role in ensuring that global water issues remain a top priority on the international agenda,” they stated.
The organisation aims to collaborate with countries facing water-related challenges and those prioritising such projects on their national agendas. This collaboration will also involve countries with significant expertise and contributions to water solutions. Such cooperation becomes even more vital with projections of the global water demand doubling by 2050, in light of the anticipated growth of the world population to 9.8bn, the officials noted.
The Kingdom, with all of the organisation’s member countries, seeks to contribute to achieving the water security-related sustainable development goals, creating an integrated and long-lasting impact by bringing the international community together to ensure global water sustainability for humanity, the report explained.
By initiating the establishment of the organisation, Saudi Arabia is said to be showcasing its commitment to addressing global water supply challenges. The initiative is aligned with Saudi Arabia’s dedication to environmental sustainability.