(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) CAIRO, April 4 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Minister of Oil, Electricity and Water Dr. Khaled Al-Fadhel affirmed on Thursday necessity of working out "a real Arab cooperation framework" to resolve the regional "water and food crises." Ahmad Al-Bakr, the Kuwaiti permanent delegate at the Arab League, was speaking on Al-Fadhel's behalf at a joint meeting of Arab water and agriculture ministers, hosted by the Arab League headquarters. Al-Fadhel is also the head of the Arab Ministerial Water Council.
Al-Fadhel affirmed necessity of harmonizing Arab states' policies at these levels and executing joint ventures within framework of the common ministerial committee that comprises Arab ministers of water and agriculture.
Moreover, he noted necessity of improvising solutions, luring investors and financiers to manage irrigation water, in line with the Arab development plan 2030.
Water resources throughout the Arab world are depleting in shadow of continuing population, economic and construction growth.
Weather hazards, rain scarcity, mounting draught and desertification "have overshadowed the economic and social conditions in the Arab region, directly affecting every Arab citizen and creating emerging challenges," minister Al-Fadhel stated.
This situation warrants greater efforts to conserve the water resources and ensure their sustainability for the next generations, the Kuwaiti official said. Economic development, including the agricultural sector and food security is unattainable without sufficient water resources and higher efficiency of water usage in agriculture.
The Arab world, at present, sustains "a food gap," the widest globally, in shadow of mounting nutrition needs, water scarcity and deterioration of agricultural fields, he concluded. (end) mfm.rk
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