Arab leaders call for launching food security emergency program

KUWAIT, Jan 20 (KUNA) -- Arab leaders called Tuesday, in resolutions of the Arab Economic Summit, for launching an emergency Arab food security program.
The resolution tasked Arab governments benefiting from the program to grant preferential treatment to investment in different fields related to the program.
It urged Arab, regional, and international investment institutions and funds to finance the program, invited the private sector to invest in the program, and tasked the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) with following up the program in coordination with all concerned bodies, as well as providing a regular report on the programs to the summit.
An implementation mechanism was also approved by the Arab leaders, in which they encourage investments to produce food, develop agriculture and food policies in the Arab countries for the sake of economic integration.
It also called for the enhancement of agricultural researches to ultimately reach food security.
On water security, the resolution tasked the Council of Arab Water Ministers with preparing a strategy for water security in the Arab region to face challenges and requirements for sustainable development.
In addition, it approved a project for integrated management of water resources, and called on Arab finance funds and institutions to contribute to supporting the project, and tasked the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) to follow up the execution of the project in cooperation with concerned national bodies in Arab countries and to prepare a periodic report on that to the summit.
The implementation mechanism called for the development of traditional and non-traditional water resources, recycle water including sewage to honor growing water demands.
It also called for building dams for water storage, reducing the cost of water desalination, introduction of modern irrigation means and providing technical support for Arab countries to develop water development and management projects. (end) kt KUNA 201454 Jan 09NNNN