PARIS: Kuwait called on the international community here yesterday to counter the problem of water shortage in light of the UN reports stating that there is a child dying every fifteen seconds due to shortage of safe drinking water. The previous remark was made in an address delivered by Dr Hassan Al-Ibrahim, the permanent representative of the State of Kuwait to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) before the 186th session of the UNESCO executive council.

Al-Ibrahim said that Kuwait, "calls on the international community to weather the global challenge represented in water shortage, and to put this theme high on the agenda of the coming UN conference on Sustainable Development due in Rio de Janeiro in 2012 in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goal on water within the environmental sustainability.

Further, he said that the warnings made by UN on the World Water Day which was marked on March 22, 2011, sounded an alarm bell reminding that 1.8 billion people will live till 2025 in countries or regions suffering from a shortage of drinking water. Al-Ibrahim added that, "about two-thirds of the world population will bear the brunt of this problem, while UN reports note that a child is dying every fifteen seconds due to shortage of safe drinking water.

Regarding the establishment of UN women's organization at the turn of this year, Dr Al-Ibrahim said that, "Kuwait asserts that setting up such a promising organization reflects an international awareness of the need of women across the world. This will upgrade their status, improve their living conditions, and rid them of all forms of suffering though women's conditions have not improved much after many years of calling for their rights, and efforts made in this regard." - KUNA