ALMATY, Kazakhstan, June 28. The Central Asian region needs more investments for water resources management, Vice Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Economist, Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Evgeny Vinokurov during the "Water and Sanitation in Central Asia" research presentation at the bank's Annual Meeting and Business Forum in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Trend reports.
"Central Asia currently requires an additional $2 billion investment for effective water management," he emphasized.
He noted that the drinking water supply in Central Asia accounts for seven percent of drainage use.
"The World Health Organization estimates that 90 percent of diseases in low-income countries are due to dirty water and a lack of sanitation. Although Central Asia is no longer classified as low-income, the health of the population still heavily depends on clean water," Vinokurov said.
He highlighted the global significance of the issue of drinking water.
"This is the sixth Sustainable Development Goal, and it is not being met. Two billion people worldwide lack access to clean drinking water. The global drinking water market is estimated at $650 billion annually. It is a huge business, yet in our regions, it remains virtually non-existent. The richest man in China made his fortune not on cars or food, but on water," he added.
The final day of the EDB Annual Meeting and Business Forum commenced in Almaty, featuring three panel sessions and the presentation of the "Water and Sanitation in Central Asia" study.
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