UPDATE - Water ‘most strategic value’ of next century: Turkish president

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN

By Ali Murat Alhas and Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - Calling water the “most strategic value” of the next century, the Turkish president on Thursday said that pressure on water resources have been increasing every year.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was speaking at the first Water Council via video link.

Erdogan highlighted the importance of water resources in the future as well as Turkey’s approach and efforts in this regard.

"Protecting water resources before their depletion, using them efficiently and their proper management is now a must rather than a choice," he said.

According to the president, there are 90 ongoing projects in Turkey which would provide an additional 1.8 billion cubic meters of drinking water annually to 18 million people in the future.

Also, Erdogan said Turkey would adopt new measures to reduce the cost of energy for irrigation, adding new financing models would be developed for irrigation projects in the coming days.

Furthermore, the Turkish leader said new steps will be taken regarding the recycling of waste in line with the European Green Deal and that Ankara is going to accelerate its climate change adaptation activities by analyzing effects of climate change on water sources.