Energy Minister: UAE seeks to establish sustainable water security
Date
3/21/2016 9:07:34 PM
(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
ABU DHABI 21st March 2016 (WAM) --- Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei Minister of Energy today stressed that the UAE seeks to establish sustainable water security and strike a balance between supply and demand.
The said the Energy Ministry is working with water and electricity authorities in the UAE to develop the 2036 water security strategy which is expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Al Mazrouei made the remarks in a statement on the occasion of World Water Day an annual international observance and an opportunity to learn more about water related issues.
The United Nations General Assembly designated 22nd March 1993 as the first World Water Day. It has been held annually since then.
Minister Al Mazrouei noted that the UAE owns around 12 percent of the world's installed desalination capacity and is also the world's third largest market for desalination business.
Water related sectors such as energy and food attract a highly diversified workforce he said.
The minister also noted that the UAE Vision 2021 was developed by the government to diversify the economy with a focus on initiatives and projects in renewable energy and water sectors.
The theme of 'Water and Jobs' this year's World Water Day is focusing on how enough quantity and quality of water can change workers' lives and livelihoods - and even transform societies and economies.
Each year UN-Water - the entity that coordinates the UN's work on water and sanitation sets a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge. The engagement campaign is coordinated by one or several of the UN-Water Members with a related mandate.
According to the UN-Water today almost half of the world's workers - 1.5 billion people - work in water related sectors and nearly all jobs depend on water and those that ensure its safe delivery. Yet the millions of people who work in water are often not recognized or protected by basic labour rights.
WAM/MMYS