Private sector could play major role in tackling water scarcity, UAE official says
The private sector could hold the key to solving the problem of global water scarcity, a senior UAE official has said. Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, was speaking at a media briefing on Monday to promote the third UN Water Conference in December, which will take place in Abu Dhabi , with global policymakers, private investors and young voices…
A senior UAE official, Abdulla Balalaa, has highlighted the potential of the private sector in addressing the global water scarcity issue. Speaking at a media briefing promoting the third UN Water Conference in December, Mr. Balalaa emphasized that water is crucial to every facet of development and economic activity. Despite the UAE achieving 100% coverage for safe water and sanitation, it remains a water-scarce region relying heavily on desalination for its water supply.
According to Mr. Balalaa, globally, 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water, 3.4 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation, and 1.7 billion lack basic hygiene services. This highlights the urgency of making investments and planning for the future. The Sustainable Development Goal 6, targeting the availability and sustainable management of clean water and sanitation for all by 2030, is currently off-track.
The financial gap required to achieve this goal is estimated at $6.7 trillion, with 90% of current spending on the water sector coming from government and public capital.
Mr. Balalaa urged the private sector to seize this opportunity, relieving the burden from government spending while deploying water projects. The UN Water Conference, hosted by the UAE and Senegal, will take place in Abu Dhabi from December 8 to 10. The conference will feature six interactive dialogues, with a focus on investments for water, emphasizing the importance of private funding in addressing the challenges of urbanisation and population growth.
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