Syria and Lebanon hold talks on enhancing cooperation in water security issues

Damascus (ST) – Prime Minister Hussein Arnous and the Minister of Energy and Water in the Lebanese caretaker government Walid Fayyad on Monday discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation on water and water security issues in the light of climate change and its negative effects on various economic sectors, especially the agricultural ones.

Arnous stressed the importance of unifying and strengthening joint Arab action to confront challenges in the drinking water and irrigation sectors and exchange experiences in a way that achieves the common interest of the Arab countries.

The talks focused on unifying efforts and continuing cooperation between Syria and Lebanon within the framework of the signed agreements, especially the implementation of the Orontes and the Nahr El-Kabir Al-Janoubi agreements, and on preserving the environment of the shared basins.

In the same context, Minister of Water Resources Hussein Makhlouf also held talks with Fayyad and stated that work is underway to find the best formula for investing in water resources in the light of climate change and to develop technical solutions and cooperation to ward off any risks related to pollution.

He noted that that there is a program to reduce pollution of water resources by both countries and to better manage and invest water resources in the above mentioned rivers.

For his part, Minister Fayyad considered that the agreement existing at the level of the Orontes and El-Kabir Al-Janobi rivers is an example to be followed by international law on transboundary waters or shared waters.

Najla Khoury