Saudi Economy Minister Highlights Water Access At G20 Brazil Session

Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadel Alibrahim attended the "Ensuring Access to Water" session at the G20 Development Ministers' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro on July 22 and 23. During his speech, Alibrahim emphasised that limited freshwater resources and sanitation services impede human development by causing severe health risks, such as waterborne diseases, drought, and malnutrition.

The minister pointed out that the lack of access to water significantly restricts agricultural activities, thereby affecting global food security. He stressed that ensuring access to water and sanitation is not merely a policy issue but a fundamental human right and a crucial Sustainable Development Goal.

Alibrahim highlighted the Kingdom's initiative to establish a global water organisation, as announced by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. This organisation aims to serve as a global platform for coordinating efforts, exchanging knowledge, sharing best practices, providing funding, and directing resources to critical projects.

The new global water organisation will also focus on enhancing partnerships between public and private sectors. It aims to improve government policy alignment by developing innovative solutions to global water access challenges. The minister underscored the importance of prioritising water-related issues on the G20 agenda.

He called for the continuation of the annual water dialogue initiated by the Kingdom during its presidency of the G20 in 2020. Leveraging the Global Water Organisation as a platform is essential to ensure humanity is on track to achieve universal access to water.

"Ensuring access to water and sanitation is not just a policy but a human right," said Alibrahim. He reiterated that addressing these issues is vital for sustainable development and improving global health outcomes.

The minister's participation in the session underscores Saudi Arabia's commitment to addressing global water challenges. By advocating for continued dialogue and collaboration through platforms like the Global Water Organisation, Saudi Arabia aims to lead efforts in securing universal access to clean water.

With inputs from SPA