Suhail Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, has announced three water desalination plants will be completed by 2023 in the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Umm Al Quwain, reports Gulf News.
The announcement was made during the first day of the 5th Arab Water Forum (AWF5), taking place in Dubai from the 21st to the 23rd of September. The facilities will have a combined capacity of 420 million imperial gallons of drinking water per day (MIGD), thereby increasing the total installed desalination capacity in the country to 1,590 MIGD.
During his keynote address, Al Mazrouei noted “We need cooperation and collaboration to support the water sector and strengthen efforts to address challenges related to water scarcity. Water is an essential pillar of sustainability, which makes it a strategic priority of the UAE”.
The AWF5 gathered more than 600 delegates and participants from 22 Arab countries who made a pledge to foster water security for peace and sustainable development in the Arab region.
“The water-related challenges will become tougher in light of the growing demand for water and the scarcity of resources, especially in our Arab region in the coming years. The worsening global climate change and the increase in future demand for water have forced us to undertake more initiatives, dialogue, reflection and joint work to build future capabilities to meet these challenges and overcome. From the Arab Water Forum platform, we reaffirm our strong commitment to continue our efforts to enhance regional and international cooperation in water-related activities and programmes,” said Al Mazrouei.
