The GCC water and electricity ministers held an extraordinary meeting at the Secretariat General on June 12. The Committee of Water and Electricity Unity meeting is currently implementing the recommendations of GCC leaders made during the 14th consultation meeting held in Riyadh last May.
According to Assistant Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Shibli, the committee’s meeting discussed water coalition and water security in the Gulf countries and is a reflection of the GCC's keenness on providing water at any cost and under any circumstances.
Al-Shibli pointed out that the meeting reviewed previous studies regarding water linkage and the position of GCC countries in this regard and established a future work plan to achieve this.
The assistant secretary-general also said that the meeting reviewed the Secretariat General’s memorandum on water security in the GCC countries to prepare a long-term comprehensive Gulf strategy for water, considering Abu Dhabi’s water announcement issued during the 31st session of the GCC Supreme Council. The meeting also decided to take advantage of the researches and studies done by universities and national research centers on this issue.
Abu Dhabi highly recommended serious and vigorous steps for a long-term water strategy, to be forwarded to expert committees who could send out directives and consider all related issues. The announcement linked water security to diversity of energy and food security and fixed them as strategic priorities for the GCC countries.
