Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi stressed that water security constitutes a strategic priority for GCC member states, directly intersecting with human security, economic prosperity, food security, and energy security as a fundamental pillar of stability. Albudaiwi made the remarks during a panel titled "Water as a Strategic Imperative: From Global Challenges to Collective Action," organized by the Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, SPA reported. He noted that enduring regional water scarcity has driven GCC countries to innovate, invest, and build extensive expertise in desalination, wastewater recycling, demand management, and advanced technologies, while strengthening the water-energy-food-climate nexus. Emphasizing that technology alone cannot guarantee water security, Albudaiwi highlighted ongoing GCC joint initiatives to establish a regional water grid interconnection. The project aims to bolster supply security, regional readiness, and emergency response capabilities during crises. He also called for leveraging artificial intelligence, smart water management systems, and renewable energy, alongside collaborative financing models linking governments, development institutions, and the private sector to develop scalable infrastructure projects. Albudaiwi concluded by pointing to the upcoming UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal in Abu Dhabi in December 2026, as a pivotal platform to advance multilateral water partnerships and tangible investments.
