JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has joined a UN-sponsored international decade to safeguard and improve the world’s water supplies. The “Action Water for Sustainable Development” decade was adopted by the General Assembly in December 2016 and begins this year. It will help focus attention on global water security during the next 10 years. Saudi Arabia was represented at the opening session of the conference by Saudi Arabia’s UN ambassador, Abdullah Al-Maalami, and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Environment Dr. Faisal Al-Subaie. UN members expressed concern over lack of access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, and over water-related disasters, scarcity and pollution being worsened by urbanization, population growth, desertification, drought and climate change. The decade — launched in conjunction with World Water Day, March 22 — will focus on sustainable development and integrated management of water resources for the achievement of social, economic and environmental goals.