Doha, June 29 (QNA) - The State of Qatar participated in the extraordinary meeting of the Electricity and Water Cooperation Committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Held via video conference on Monday, the meeting considered the latest developments in preparing a study on the feasibility of implementing water interconnection projects among the GCC countries, in implementation of the directives of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC countries, and the relevant decisions of the Ministerial Council.

The Qatari delegation to the meeting was headed by HE President of the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) Engineer Abdulla bin Ali Al Theyab.

The meeting discussed the general framework and objectives of the study as well as its proposed implementation phases, which include assessing the current state of water infrastructure in the GCC countries, developing scenarios and options for water interconnection, establishing institutional and governance frameworks, and ultimately preparing an implementation roadmap that defines priorities, timelines, and mechanisms for implementation and follow-up, in addition to reviewing several international experiences in water interconnection to inform the preparation of the GCC study.

It examined the next steps for finalizing the study including organizing a workshop with the participation of senior officials from member states and completing the collection of necessary data and technical studies, in preparation for presenting the study's findings and recommendations to the Electricity and Water Cooperation Committee at its next meeting before submitting them to the Ministerial Council for consideration.

HE Engineer Al Theyab emphasized that the State of Qatar, represented by Kahramaa, attaches great importance to strengthening joint Gulf cooperation and supporting initiatives that contribute to enhancing the security and sustainability of the electricity and water sectors, stemming from its belief in the importance of integration among GCC countries in facing future challenges, thereby achieving common interests and enhancing the sustainability of vital resources and services.

His Excellency stated that preparing a comprehensive and specialized study on water interconnection represents a strategic step towards building an integrated vision based on best global practices, taking into account technical, economic, operational, and governance aspects.

This will contribute to supporting scientifically based decisions that achieve the highest levels of efficiency and reliability. (QNA)