Water scarcity stands as the defining development and security challenge of the twenty-first century for the Arab region, acting as a powerful multiplier of economic, social, and environmental risks. The region’s inherent arid climate, combined with rapid population growth, urbanization, and economic expansion, places unprecedented pressure on already limited and stressed water resources.
Water scarcity stands as the defining development and security challenge of the twenty-first century for the Arab region, acting as a powerful multiplier of economic, social, and environmental risks. The region’s inherent arid climate, combined with rapid population growth, urbanization, and economic expansion, places unprecedented pressure on already limited and stressed water resources.
The Arab region hosts nearly six percent of the global population yet possesses less than one percent of the world’s renewable freshwater resources, underscoring the structural nature of the challenge. This scarcity directly threatens public health, food and energy security, livelihoods, and ecosystem integrity, while exacerbating inequalities and increasing the risk of fragility and instability.
This challenge is intensified by climate change, which increases pressure on water systems through more severe droughts, more frequent floods, and greater ecosystem stress. These shifts disrupt historical precipitation patterns, speed up groundwater depletion, and increase the salinity of coastal aquifers. This growing uncertainty makes traditional water management methods insufficient.
Addressing these interconnected risks requires a paradigm shift toward integrated, climate-resilient, and investment-ready water solutions across the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus.
The Arab Water Forum is the region’s premier triennial platform dedicated to advancing water security, resilience, and cooperation. The upcoming seventh edition will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from April 5th to 9th, 2026, as one of the events hosted by Saudi Water Week that will take place from 5th to 9th April. The AWF7 will be under the Patronage of Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and convened by the Arab Water Council and the League of Arab States.
The Forum is designed to move decisively from dialogue to implementation by translating ministerial and political commitments into technically sound governance reforms, bankable and investable solutions, and measurable, impact-driven outcomes, providing a clear pathway for delivery, accountability, and investment across the Arab region.
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