The UAE, Jordan, and the Netherlands today wrapped up the inaugural edition of the Water-Food-Energy (WFE) Summit. Held over two days as part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s Global Goals Week, the first-of-its-kind trilateral event aimed to advance innovation to tackle some of the greatest challenges in water, food, and energy. 

Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, His Excellency Eng. Mohammad Alnajjar , Minister of Water and Irrigation of Jordan, and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher, of the Netherlands, opened the summit on behalf of the host countries. The hybrid event drew the participation of high-level government officials, leaders from the private sector, members of the academic and scientific community, and youth delegates.

Water, food and energy

The UAE, Jordan, and the Netherlands issued a trilateral declaration affirming their commitment to supporting a nexus approach that optimizes resource use, and calling on other governments to join them in acknowledging the interdependent relationships between water, food, and energy.

Clean water, sustainable energy, and sufficient food are critical for survival, and their absence impacts the health and livelihoods of communities across the globe. The joint statement encouraged governments to incorporate practical solutions to water, food, and energy challenges into policy-making, and accelerate progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The ministers of the three countries expressed their hope that the summit would serve as a springboard for more collective efforts in international fora to boost the Water Food Energy nexus approach.