Riyadh: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has underscored the need for strong political will and global leadership to overcome the water crisis, posing existential threat to the nations around the globe. Addressing the “One Water Summit” in Riyadh tonight, he underlined the need for international cooperation and collaboration to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister emphasized that water is the lifeblood of the planet and a cornerstone of economic development, food security, and environmental sustainability. He pointed out that nearly half of the world’s population faces water scarcity for at least part of the year and lamented that billions still lack access to clean drinking water while water pollution rises at alarming levels.
The Prime Minister highlighted that water resources are rapidly depleting and degrading, displacing millions and causing unprecedented destruction. He stressed the need for collective
efforts to address the impacts of climate change and population growth, noting that Pakistan is still grappling with the 2022 catastrophic floods that caused widespread damage to its water resources and irrigation sector, affecting millions of lives and livelihoods.
He also noted that droughts pose an equally potent threat to the country, with nearly seventy percent of Pakistan’s land consisting of arid and semi-arid areas, and around thirty percent of the population directly affected by drought-like conditions. He warned that projected temperature increases in Pakistan are significantly higher than the global average, which could exacerbate these challenges without concerted international actions, as Pakistan is one of the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate change.
Commenting on Transboundary Water Management, the Prime Minister stated that water transcends political boundaries, connecting nations and fostering shared ecosystems. He emphasized that Pakistan attaches great importance to transbound
ary cooperation, noting that the Indus Water Treaty has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years and highlighting its effective functioning as key to maintaining regional peace and stability.
Shedding light on the ‘Recharge Pakistan’ initiative, he mentioned that Pakistan is finalizing a ‘National Drought Plan’ to identify the most drought-affected areas and propose effective response mechanisms to mitigate the impact of droughts.
The Prime Minister proposed a six-point global agenda to address water-related challenges, calling for international cooperation to ensure sustainable water and sanitation for all, sharing knowledge and expertise, and transferring innovative water management technologies. He urged developed countries to provide adequate funding for climate-resilient infrastructure, overcome the financing gap in vulnerable countries, and create frameworks for transparency, data sharing, and regional cooperation to prevent conflicts and promote water sharing.
He also highlighted the importanc
e of investing in skills development, research, and strengthening institutions to tackle water issues at both national and global levels. Praising the leadership of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in establishing the Global Water Organization, he expressed Pakistan’s pride in joining as a founding member and offering full support to its goals.
Shehbaz Sharif expressed his profound gratitude to Saudi Arabia, France, and Kazakhstan, as well as the World Bank, for organizing the timely summit to deliberate on water security, one of humanity’s most pressing challenges.