The International Committee of the Red Cross has called on Middle Eastern nations to join forces to tackle crippling environmental issues plaguing the region.
During a joint regional roundtable meeting on Sunday at the Energy Ministry in Tehran, Pascal Hundt, the head of Assistance Division at ICRC, said Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria could benefit from Iran’s environmental experience, Mehr News Agency reported.
He pointed to the growing environmental problems in the Middle East and singled out water management, dust and sand storms, and desertification as the most pressing issues threatening life and livelihood in the strategic region.
“Furthermore, regional conflicts have exacerbated the existing environmental issues, and people in the Middle East have become vulnerable to environmental problems,” Hundt said.
Despite being one of the most stable and secure countries in the region, Iran is grappling with more than its fair share of environmental problems, “whose solutions lie in international cooperation.”
Hundt reiterated the ICRC’s interest in collaborating with Iran and the Energy Ministry in particular to address environmental problems, and commended Iran for “striving to resolve conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.”
“Sustainable development and efficient management of resources are paramount to addressing environmental issues and preventing the outbreak of conflicts,” he noted.
The meeting was attended by senior and mid-level decision - and policymakers from Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.
