Jordan’s Minister of Water and Irrigation, Eng. Raed Abu Al-Saud, participated in the ministerial session on “Arab Vision for the 2026 UN Water Conference: Investing in Water”, held as part of the 8th Cairo Water Week.
اضافة اعلان
The session included Dr. Hani Sewilem, Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Iraqi Minister of Water Resources Eng. Aoun Dhiab, Senegalese Minister of Water and Sanitation Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dié, Dr. Ziad Al-Khayyat from ESCWA, as well as representatives of international organizations and water experts.
During his address, Abu Al-Saud highlighted Jordan’s investments in the water sector to enhance resilience in facing unique global challenges. He noted that 98% of citizens receive high-quality water services, while 68% have access to sanitation services.
He emphasized the strategic importance of ensuring the sustainability of Jordan’s scarce water resources to support key sectors such as agriculture, industry, and tourism. Abu Al-Saud underscored the need for a unified regional strategy to address climate change impacts, expand the use of non-conventional water sources, and adopt the water footprint concept in agriculture to optimize water use, support sustainable agricultural policies, reduce environmental impacts from fertilizers and pesticides, and improve trade efficiency. He also highlighted the importance of private sector engagement in integrated water management projects.
Abu Al-Saud outlined Jordan’s strategic projects aimed at providing sustainable water solutions for drinking, reusing treated water in agriculture and industry, with an additional capacity of 200–250 million cubic meters, as well as ongoing and upcoming projects valued at JD 2.4 billion.
Iraqi Minister Eng. Aoun Dhiab highlighted an unprecedented drought in Iraq, the lowest in 90 years, and a decline in water inflows from neighboring countries, severely affecting drinking water supply, especially in central and southern regions.
Senegalese Minister Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dié stressed that investing in water facilities is an investment in peace and shared the country’s ongoing water projects.
Egyptian Minister Dr. Hani Sewilem emphasized that water security is closely linked to financial sustainability and climate adaptability, outlining Egypt’s substantial national water investments and calling for innovative financing mechanisms, debt relief initiatives, and enhanced support for water-scarce countries, while advocating a joint Arab vision for the UN conference to prioritize climate finance, equitable resource allocation, and public-private investment mobilization.
Dr. Ziad Al-Khayyat from ESCWA praised Jordan’s pioneering approach in wastewater treatment, transforming 90% of treated water into productive agricultural use, generating income for local communities and turning water management into a sustainable investment opportunity.
