Vice-President Machar addresses conference on water
KHARTOUM, Aug 19, 2003 (SUNA) — Vice-President of the Republic Prof Moses Machar affirmed that water resources represent a pillar of the aspired sustainable development in Sudan.
Addressing the conference on water harvesting and future of development in Sudan at the Friendship Hall here Tuesday [19 August], Prof Machar said that the issue of water is an essential issue in the world, where the need for water is increasing day by day, a matter which necessitates working out plans for optimum utilization of the water resources to boost development, peace and stability.
He stressed the state’s concern with the water issue, pointing out that a mechanism will be set up to implement the outcome of the conference.
The minister of science and technology, Prof Al-Zubayr Bashir Taha, addressing the conference, expressed hope that the conference will come out with ‘”Khartoum Declaration” to mobilize the political will at the levels of African continent and the region, while legislations would be issued for the utilization of the different water resources.
He urged the donor states and the UNs to contribute to the establishment of the infrastructures to monitor and to provide the appropriate information in this respect.
The state minister for agriculture, Prof Al-Saddiq Amara, referred to the role of water in the economy of Sudan, stressing the importance of the utilization of the rain water and the introduction of modern technology in this regard.
The state minister at the federal government chamber, Makwag Teny, addressing the conference, pointed out that the coming period is one of water war.
He expressed hope that the conference would come out with recommendations that will contribute to implementation of programmes to enable utilization of the water resources.
The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources, Eng Muhammad Bahr-al-Din, addressing the conference, stressed that the projects of water harvesting represent an important axis in the field of water resources’ development in Sudan, especially at the traditional agricultural and pastoral sectors, which are regarded as the backbone of the social and economic development and food security.
Meanwhile, director of the UNESCO chair in water resources and chairman of the conference’s organizing committee, Prof Abdallah Abd- al-Salam, said that the water supply at the level of the world is expected to drop to one third during the coming 20 years, expressing hope that the recommendations of the conference would be a basis for a strategic programme in the field of water resources development and management.
The conference sittings will last till 21 August, and it will review over 40 scientific papers.
The conference reviewed in its second sitting around 12 papers on water issues, including Sudan’s experience in this field.