The Swiss Embassy organized a lecture on global water shortage to highlight issues raised by global water shortage. Speaking at the event, Ambassador of Switzerland H.E. Tiziano Palmelli emphasized the need for people to begin coexisting with smaller amounts of water, and urged the government and private sector to raise more awareness on the need to rationalize water usage and prevent its wastage.
For her part, Regional Head of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates, Hanna Kabeder, stressed that the world suffers from water scarcity, and therefore coordinated efforts must be made to optimize water usage and reduce wastage.
Pointing out that the Gulf is the most affected region by water scarcity, she added that several measures have been taken by the authorities to address this problem, face this challenge and achieve sustainable use of water.
She said that the problem is exacerbated in Kuwait, as the country has very little natural water resources, a high consumption rate, near total dependence on high-cost desalination for potable water, and a growing population that increased demand for water. Elaborating on her meeting with officials of the United Nations in Kuwait, the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Environment Public Authority, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she revealed that discussions centered on a number of issues of common interest, including ways to achieve sustainable use of water and better air quality.
Adding that by the beginning of 2050, nearly 50 percent of the world’s population will be subject to water scarcity, she called for joint efforts to confront the water crisis before it became an existential threat.
During the event, Ambassador Palmelli also praised the strong level of bilateral relations between Switzerland and Kuwait. He revealed that way back in 1930, Kuwait was the first in the region to discover Switzerland as a tourist destination, and that the Kuwaiti tourist continue to enjoy a good reputation in his country.
Noting that the demand for visas to Switzerland depended on the season, the ambassador disclosed that measures were being taken to increase the number of employees specialized in issuing visas during the next summer season, in order to issue more visas daily.
Swiss Embassy, Kuwait
Foreign Embassies in Kuwait
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