GCC Secretary-General: Study Underway on Potential Water Interconnection Project Among Gulf States
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The GCC Secretary-General emphasized enhancing integration in the electricity and water sectors through electrical and water interconnections to ensure security and sustainability.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States, Jassem Al-Budaiwi, said on Thursday that enhancing Gulf integration in the electricity and water sectors represents one of the strategic pillars for consolidating the security of Gulf states and ensuring the sustainability of their development.
The GCC Secretariat General noted that this statement was made during a speech delivered by Al-Budaiwi at the extraordinary meeting of the GCC Cooperation Committee for Electricity and Water, held via video conference. The meeting was chaired by Yasser Humaidan, Bahrain’s Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs (current chair of the committee), with the participation of committee members.
Al-Budaiwi added that the move to strengthen the GCC power interconnection system and the study of the feasibility of establishing a water interconnection project among GCC states reflect the common vision of the GCC leaders toward building an integrated, more prepared, and efficient Gulf system to face regional changes and developments, thereby ensuring the continuity of vital services and enhancing the shared interests of the GCC states and their peoples.
He emphasized that this meeting comes as a continuation of Gulf efforts to translate the directives of GCC leaders into joint strategic projects and initiatives, and to follow up on the implementation of their decisions issued at the 19th Consultative Meeting held in Jeddah last April, regarding the enhancement of cooperation and integration in strategic sectors, foremost among which are electricity and water, considered as fundamental pillars of the developmental and economic security of the GCC states.
He pointed out that the rapid developments witnessed by the region underscore the importance of elevating levels of coordination and Gulf integration in managing vital resources, enhancing the preparedness of infrastructure, and improving its efficiency and capacity to handle various circumstances. He affirmed that joint Gulf work in these two sectors constitutes an important path to enhancing the security and stability of the GCC states and supporting their ability to continue their developmental journey with steadfastness and sustainability.
Al-Budaiwi clarified that the meeting discusses two main topics of strategic importance: the first concerns the results of the study on the feasibility of building water interconnection projects among GCC states, while the second addresses the study of enhancing the GCC power interconnection system, which contributes to supporting Gulf integration paths and developing cooperation systems in vital sectors.
He noted that the Secretariat General, in cooperation with member states and relevant authorities, has been following up on the preparation of technical studies related to these projects over the past period through a series of workshops and bilateral meetings with member states and the specialized consulting company to complete data and technical comments, and to review the outputs of the studies at their various stages, leading up to the meeting of deputies held on October 20 to discuss the results and outputs of these studies.
Al-Budaiwi expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by member states and relevant authorities, in cooperation with the Secretariat General and the GCC Power Interconnection Authority, in preparing these studies and following up on their work. He emphasized the importance of building on the technical and institutional efforts achieved to reach practical recommendations that support moving forward with these vital projects, paving the way for their submission to the GCC Supreme Council.
