Regional instability is affecting Jordan’s ability to access much needed external water sources, forcing the kingdom to turn to desalination projects, the Minister of Water and Irrigation Muhammad Al-Najjar said yesterday.
He emphasised the need for collaborative efforts to devise solutions, implement joint Arab water initiatives, raise awareness about the importance of water conservation and promote effective governance.
As one of the world’s most water-scarce countries, Jordan is expediting a national project to desalinate water from the Red Sea to meet its growing water needs, improve irrigation efficiency, and enhance water awareness across various sectors, he added.
Under a 1994 agreement, Israel supplies Jordan with 50 million cubic meters of water annually from Lake Tiberias, transported via the King Abdullah Canal at a cost of one cent per cubic meter. However, Israel has recently indicated that it may not extend this agreement as a result of Jordan’s opposition to the occupation state’s genocide in Gaza.
In 2021, Jordan, the UAE, and Israel signed a “declaration of intent” to explore a joint energy-water exchange project; however, the Israeli aggression in Gaza, which began on 7 October 2023 hindered the completion of the agreement.
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