Qatar Participates In OIC Water Ministers Conference in Istanbul

Doha, March 06 (QNA) -The State of Qatar represented in the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (KAHRAMAA) has participated in the two-day conference of ministers responsible for water in Islamic countries which concluded in Istanbul, Turkey Tuesday,March 6. KAHRAMAA President Eng. Essa bin Hilal Al-Kuwari said in an address before the conference that the fresh water resources, either the surface or the groundwater available for everyone on our planet, suffer from scarcity as well as being concentrated in certain regions while other regions are suffering from the severe scarcity of water and scarcity of surface and groundwater. He said that the statistics indicate that the freshwater , either the surface or groundwater which are at the disposal of human beuing does not exceed 0.5 per cent of the 3 per cent is the total stock of water on our planet and which is available in the form of frozen water in the Arctic and Antarctic and the ice rivers which people do not benefit from. Bin Hilal Al-Kuwari pointed out that what distinguishes the current era is the creativity and the ability to create smart solutions for the provision of fresh water from alternative sources by desalination of seawater, water recycling and treatment. He stressed that Qatar has been able to achieve security water reasonably for the construction and establishment of modern and prosperous cities which do not have the sources of enough surface fresh water and in the dry desert areas through access to sources of fresh water to desalinate sea water and the establishment of communities and urban cities, as it is the case in the Arabian Gulf and other similar areas in the world. Qatar Participates in OIC Water Ministers Conference in Istanbul KAHRAMAA President Eng. Essa bin Hilal Al-Kuwari in an address before the conference called for adopting the OIC vision in the field of water "work together" and develop the necessary support activities, that will allow building system work effectively to enhance cooperation between the OIC member states to transfer of knowledge and expertise and improve them in order to reach the efficient management of water sector development and investment and the exchange of freshwater resources available between the OIC Member States . He called on the OIC members to discuss the practical steps that will increase the security of water between the member states, and addresses of experts in seminars open agenda of the global water more deeply, with a focus on our right to share freshwater resources with others and the defense needs of fresh water as a sign of solidarity and the fight against drought and famine and to promote respect for human dignity in pursuit of prosperity and Population. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has approved during the aforesaid conference the Water Vision and offered a comprehensive perceptive of diversity of water environments in the OIC member countries, and means of dealing with the challenges in this field. In its final statement issued here earlier Tuesday at the conclusion of a conference of ministers responsible for water in Islamic countries in Istanbul between March 5-6, the OIC also called on the member countries to enhance activities recommended in the Water Vision, like further cooperation in the researchers on water, besides organizing special conferences and forums on that matter. It also called on OIC member countries to cooperate and coordinate with the organization's various institutions specialized in the water affairs, besides guaranteeing a political commitment and spreading social awareness on water consumption at a larger scale. It called for achieving water safety, and sustainable management of water resources, besides launching national campaign that works to enhance rationalization of water usage. The statement requested from the chairman of the OIC current session of ministers responsible for water and the OIC General Secretariat to determine the powers of OIC Water Council to be discussed during the next OIC water ministers conference. The participants asked the OIC Secretary General to emphasize the positions of the OIC Water Vision in the international forums. The two-day conference was attended by ministers and experts from more than 62 Islamic countries, including Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, Sudan, Syria, Libya Oman and Turkey. (QNA)