Call to declare 'aflaj' a cultural heritage

The UAE Minister of Electricity and Water, Humaid bin Nasser Al Owais, yesterday expressed concern about the current global water situation.

Speaking at the closing session of the three-day Oman International Conference on the Development and Management of Water Conveyance Systems, Al Owais called upon all countries, regional as well as international organisations to investigate the prevailing challenges and difficulties facing water resources worldwide.

Reading out the final declaration on the conference he further added: "The delegates stressed the significance of water resources in the achievement of social and economic development."

Al Owais pointed out that the conference succeeded in highlighting the problems faced by the water conveyance systems (aflaj). "There's a need to intensify efforts towards maintaining and conserving aflaj in order to increase the economic return," the minister reckons.

Echoing the sentiments of the delegates, Al Owais felt that the traditional water conveyance systems should be declared international cultural heritage by the specialised international organisations.

The delegates at the first conference, organised on the subject by Oman's Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Water Resources and Environment, suggested that the World Summit on Sustainable Development should highlight the importance of water conveyance systems.

The world summit is due to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa in September. Al Owais said that the delegates strongly urged that the developed countries to transfer modern technologies to assist developing countries in management, development and conservation of their water resources.

The Syrian Minister of Irrigation, Mohammed Radhwan Martini, said the scarcity of water resources was an international problem. "Water channels are facing major difficulties which effect their economic return," he pointed out.

He added that there was a need to establish an integrated database on the aflaj situation. Martini pointed out the need to expand the non-conventional water sources to support aflaj and reduce pressure on the groundwater, level of which is receding in most countries.

"Construction of recharge projects schemes could sustain groundwater resources, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions like the Middle East," the Syrian Minister feels.

He thanked the Omani authorities for their excellent hospitality and taking initiatives in organising such a conference.

"This platform gave an opportunity to experts to exchange their views on the subject." Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al Ghuraibi, Under-secretary for Water Resources in Oman, thanked the delegates for their participation and coming out with "invaluable suggestions". "We hope this conference would help in the field of development of water resources," he said.

"The focal point of the conference was the aflaj system in the Sultanate and we hope the recommendations of this conference would get the required global support," Al Ghuraibi said.