RIYADH: Preparations for the 11th World Water Forum, which will be held in 2027, officially began today in Riyadh.

The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture held a ceremony attended by officials to kick off the preparations.

Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, Saudi minister of environment, water and agriculture, attended the event, as did Loic Fauchon, president of the World Water Council.

Fauchon revealed how the council and authorities in Saudi Arabia are preparing for the event and stressed the importance of tackling water scarcity.

Saudi Arabia called for international cooperation from governments and private organizations to address water challenges and mitigate the severity of water scarcity.

The Kingdom also emphasized the importance of achieving sustainable development goals by making water and sanitation services accessible for all.

A panel was set up to discuss global water priorities by a group of local and global experts, including Abdulaziz Al-Shaibani, deputy minister for water, and Wu Wenqing, chief planner at the People’s Republic of China’s ministry of water resources.

“Water security is an urgent, global crisis … half of the world faces water scarcity every year,” Al-Shaibani said.

Al-Shaibani during his speech underscored the gap between water demand and water supply and called for an urgent global effort to address this issue.

He also highlighted how rising demand for water creates financial pressure on governments, eventually affecting the economy.

“Water infrastructure is essential. Some say water needs money, but money needs water, meaning the economy needs the water as an enabler for industries.

“Of course, water is a basic human right, as well as an economic enabler,” Al-Shaibani said.

The World Water Forum is organized by the World Water Council and partners with host countries.

The international conference provides a platform for countries to display sustainable practices and promote efforts to secure the management of water resources.