It’s nice to see the UAE taking note of Arabian Water Day, an opportunity to highlight the noble efforts of providing clean and safe water to those in need worldwide.

Suqia UAE, under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, is a great backer of the UAE’s efforts in philanthropic work. The upcoming cycle will grant awards worth $1 million to research institutions, organisations, individuals, and innovators from around the world with the most creative, sustainable and cost-effective technology solutions to address the growing lack of access to safe potable water.

The award is organised every two years and has four award categories. During the previous two cycles, the pioneering projects of 20 awardees, including individuals, pioneering organisations, and research centres, received awards for developing innovative models capable of producing clean water using solar power.

The UAE has been playing an instrumental role in the global efforts to ensure water security, articulating the proactive vision of its wise leadership. Through its pioneering rain enhancement research programme, the country has extended crucial support for international scientists and experts to present innovative ideas and projects that contribute to solving global water scarcity. Water security is a key challenge. Therefore, the country has taken a keen interest in actively participating in global efforts to find practical solutions for water scarcity, as part of its relentless efforts to address this evolving challenge.

Many countries have problems gaining access to clean water, which is a luxury for many. Washing hands requires clean water, yet more than 2 billion people globally lack access to it, according to the UN. Industrial and agricultural pollution either makes that worse or increases the cost of treating it. Such numbers are even scarier during a global pandemic. Providing access to clean water will cost almost $420 billion a year over the next decade, or some 0.5% of global GDP, reckons the World Resources Institute.

There is a ripple effect of water pollution on the health, economies, education and agriculture of rich and poor countries alike.

The global water crisis is getting worse. By 2030 humans will be using 56 per cent more than is sustainable, according to research by a climate think tank.

The UAE is taking utmost care to provide clean water, be it for drinking or for washing, to millions of its residents. Sheikh Zayed’s quality initiatives improved the lives of millions around the world. They also laid the foundation for the principles followed by the UAE’s wise leadership to consolidate the UAE’s stature as one of the most volunteering, and benevolent countries in the world.

“Suqia UAE, under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, is a great supporter of the UAE’s efforts in humanitarian work. This is through initiatives and projects launched in collaboration with authorities and concerned organisations locally and globally to help communities suffering from water scarcity and pollution,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Suqia UAE. Since its establishment, Suqia UAE has positively impacted more than 13 million individuals in 36 countries worldwide. This is by implementing more than 1,000 sustainable water projects globally. Moreover, Suqia UAE organises the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award with prize total money of $1 million to find sustainable and innovative solutions to water scarcity using renewable energy.

The UAE is a platform for innovation, a destination for innovators, and an incubator for creative minds from all over the world. It encourages firms to find sustainable and innovative solutions to water scarcity using renewable energy. And that is noteworthy indeed.