Saudi Crown Prince Opens One Water Summit

TDT | Manama

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His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, inaugurated the One Water Summit.

The summit was held under the joint chairmanship of HRH the Crown Prince, President Emmanuel Macron of France, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, and World Bank President Ajay Banga.

It brought together international leaders to address global water challenges, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

During his opening remarks, HRH the Crown Prince reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to advancing global solutions to water scarcity and environmental challenges.  He welcomed attendees to Saudi Arabia and conveyed the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

He underscored the significance of the One Water Summit as a platform to address pressing environmental issues, particularly water scarcity and drought, which pose serious threats to societies worldwide.  He emphasized that the summit coincides with Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 16th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16), highlighting the critical link between combating land degradation and securing sustainable water resources.

He noted that the global water sector is facing unprecedented challenges, including prolonged droughts, increasing desertification, and declining availability of fresh water.  These challenges necessitate collective international efforts to develop sustainable solutions and secure water resources for future generations.

HRH the Crown Prince highlighted Saudi Arabia’s leadership in addressing these issues, citing the Kingdom’s introduction of water issues to the G20 agenda during its presidency in 2020.  He also outlined the Kingdom’s commitment of over $6 billion to more than 200 water development projects across 60 developing countries.

Looking to the future, he announced the Kingdom’s preparations to host the 11th World Water Forum in 2027 in collaboration with the World Water Council.  He also introduced a groundbreaking initiative:  the establishment of a global water organization headquartered in Riyadh.  This organization aims to unite international efforts, foster innovative solutions, and promote collaboration to address global water challenges comprehensively.

He concluded by inviting United Nations member states, international organizations, and private sector stakeholders to join the newly announced organization.  He expressed hope that the collective efforts of the international community would lead to meaningful progress in addressing water challenges worldwide.

The One Water Summit gathers governments, international organizations, financial institutions, and private sector representatives to explore actionable solutions to the global water crisis.  With climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution exacerbating water-related challenges, the summit also serves as a preparatory platform for the United Nations Water Conference in 2026.