“Cairo Declaration” urges policy coherence between water and agriculture sectors and calls for a new generation for policies and investments

4 April 2019, Cairo -- At the closure of the Near East and North Africa Land and Water Days, Arab countries agreed to coordinate their efforts to address current challenges and future risks associated with water and food security in the region that hinder the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

In a Ministerial Declaration adopted in Cairo, the "Cairo Declaration", ministers of water and ministers of agriculture in their first ever-joint meeting, reaffirmed the critical position of water management on achieving SDG2, with all its impacts on achieving the overall sustainable development agenda. They also expressed their deep concern about the increase in food insecurity and malnutrition in the region, which is exasperated by water scarcity and climate change.

Through a joint ministerial resolution, around 18 Arab countries adopted the declaration, which acknowledged the importance of establishing a coordination mechanism between water and agriculture sectors, as well as the need to develop a new generation of policies and innovative investments in agricultural water in the region, to achieve the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

Among other commitments contained in the resolution is the establishment of a joint high-level permanent committee comprising of senior officials from the agriculture and water sectors that meets on an annual basis.

Member countries also called for establishing a joint technical secretariat comprising the technical secretariat of the Arab Ministerial Water Council and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development to facilitate the work of the joint high-level prominent committee and to liaise with partners and other stakeholders.

The resolution also called for regular joint ministerial meetings on a biennial basis.

In the declaration, countries highlighted the urgency to review and reform the policies of agriculture, trade, water and social protection in order to achieve food security for the region's population.

The declaration also called for reviewing the legislation, systems and mechanisms pertaining to the use of water and lands as well as increasing investments in the field of agricultural water management.

The ministerial meeting was hosted by the League of Arab States and co-organized by the Arab Organization for agricultural Development, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). it aimed at paving the way towards enhanced policy coherence and institutionalize a coordination mechanism that translates joint policies into implementable programs and projects.