The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, has won the Best Government Entity Award in the Water Sector for the year 2021 worldwide. That was announced during Global Water Summit in Madrid, Spain, in May (16- 18).
The Kingdom's obtaining this as a result of implementing the National Water Strategy, restructuring the sector, and issuing the new water system. Furthermore, integrating roles between partners, integrated management, innovative financing solutions, and involving the private sector. The award was received by the Deputy Minister for Water at Ministry for Environment, Water and Agriculture, Dr. Abdulaziz Alshaibani, and the Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs and Privatization at Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Mr. Abdurahman AlZoghaibi.
Since 2006, Global Water Intelligence has been presenting the World Water Awards at the Global Water Summit, the most prominent water industry forum worldwide. These awards recognize the most important achievements in the international water industry within several categories such as initiatives in the water sectors, wastewater and desalination processing that are moving the industry forward through improved operating performance, innovative technology adoption and sustainable financial models.
This award is presented to various companies and institutions that are regarded as the best in the world regarding a variety of categories. Awards are given to companies that are active in the following industries: desalination, water technology, water projects, industrial projects, and smart water projects. Awards are also given to the best public water agency, leaders concerned about water, and companies that have made net
zero carbon.
The Kingdom's participation in the Global Water Summit in Spain is aimed to exchange modern knowledge, ideas, and trends in the water industry among key influencers in the field, such as officials, experts, and investors from across the world with the involvement of a number of countries, institutions, and individuals representing the world's water sector leaders.
During the conference, officials of the Kingdom's water sector reviewed its initiatives, such as qualitative solutions which supporting the process of innovation and development in the water industry. It was also discussed how to achieve zero carbon emissions, ensuring the sustainability and freshwater resources in the world, reducing the impact of climate change, reshaping the future direction by increasing job opportunities and developing the water sector as outlined in the Kingdom's 2030 Vision.
The sessions included extensive discussions about global best practices to ensure water efficiency, and the latest methods of desalination and reuse. Moreover, they mentioned that the role of artificial intelligence in the sustainability of the water sector, the next generation of water technologies in the industry. Also discussed was how to accelerate indirect potable water reuse in order to contribute to global water security.
A special session on the Kingdom's water sector was held on the second day of the conference, during which the objectives of the National Water Strategy on Sector Structuring and Transformation for Commercial Operation were presented. Future projects to achieve these objectives, involve the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture represented by the Agency for Economic Affairs and Privatization, The Saline Water Conversion Corporation, Saudi, the Saudi Water Partnership Company, The Water Transmission and Technologies Company, and National Water Company, as well as innovative financing solutions, sector transformation plans, and what has been achieved so far.
Throughout the conference, numerous meetings and discussions with decision makers and global experts in the water industry were held to consolidate and promote the integration of efforts to develop and commercialize innovations by injecting more smart initiatives and investments.