DUBAI, 23rd March, 2023 (WAM) — Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the UAE Water Foundation (Suqia UAE), has affirmed Suqia’s commitment to continue making a positive change in the lives of millions around the world by providing clean water and turn their dream of access to clean and safe water into a reality.
His announcements came on World Water Day, which is observed on 22nd March every year, and is being held this year under the theme, “Be The Change You Want to See in The World”.
“We follow in the footsteps of the Founding Fathers to continue the journey of giving which was initiated by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and is supported by the wise directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to intensify efforts for benevolence and humanitarian work worldwide."
He added that in the Year of Sustainability, the country is continuing its effective contribution to ending the global water crisis by developing innovative solutions to water scarcity, supporting sustainable growth, and achieving economic and social development, by providing water to the underprivileged worldwide.
“This is especially important as the global water crisis is escalating,” he noted. The United Nations declared that one in three people globally does not have access to safe drinking water. Over two billion people live in countries where the water supply is inadequate.
Al Tayer indicated that Suqia, under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation, since its establishment in March 2015 until the end of 2022, has positively impacted the lives of more than 13.6 million people in 37 countries worldwide, through the implementation of more than 1,000 sustainable water projects.
The projects implemented by Suqia in 2022 vary from drilling artesian and hand pump wells, extending water distribution networks, and launching the water, sanitation and hygiene programme.
Al Tayer highlighted that Suqia’s goals are not limited to securing safe drinking water for those in need, but also work to integrate innovative and sustainable technologies to be part of the solution to the global water crisis. Suqia is supervising the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
With total prizes of US$1 million, the Award aims to encourage research centres, individuals, and innovators worldwide to find new and innovative technologies to produce, distribute, store, monitor, purify, and desalinate water using renewable energy to counter water scarcity.
Suqia has concluded three cycles of the Award to date, and honoured 31 winners from individuals, leading institutions and research centres. It includes four primary categories: Innovative Projects Award, Innovative R&D Award, Innovative Individual Award, and Innovative Crisis Solutions Award.
During the current year, Suqia provided relief for those affected by earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent. It provided 50,000 cartons of drinking water bottles from Mai Dubai.
Suqia also launched its annual Ramadan campaign 2023 for the ninth year in a row to provide water bottles to workers' houses, needy families, mosques and Ramadan tents for fasting people across the UAE, in cooperation with Mai Dubai and 14 local associations and charities.
Suqia intends to expand the scope of its positive impact by working with its strategic partners to implement new projects outside the UAE to help the affected communities