H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK addressed the 5^th Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water (ICMW), held on 20–21 October 2025 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In her remarks, H.E. SELÇUK emphasized SESRIC’s continued commitment to supporting OIC Member States in advancing sustainable water management, improving data availability, and enhancing institutional capacities for effective water governance. She underlined that ensuring water security is essential for achieving broader development goals, particularly agricultural productivity and food security, across the OIC region.

H.E. SELÇUK also announced the launch of the OIC Water Report 2025: Optimizing Water Resources for Sustainable Food Security, a flagship SESRIC publication providing an in-depth analysis of renewable water resources, infrastructure, and management practices in OIC countries. The report explores critical linkages between water availability, climate change, and food systems, offering data-driven policy recommendations for sustainable water and food security.

Drawing on the latest findings, the report reveals that OIC countries collectively hold 13.3% of the world’s renewable water resources, yet per capita availability remains nearly half the global average. Agriculture continues to dominate water use, accounting for 85.6% of total freshwater withdrawals, underscoring its central role in food security. While progress has been made in expanding access to safe water and sanitation—now reaching 87% and 70% of the population, respectively—significant challenges remain. Around 263 million people in OIC countries are still undernourished, and water inefficiencies in irrigation persist, with 89.5% of irrigated land relying on traditional surface methods.

The report calls for improved water productivity, wider adoption of modern irrigation technologies, and greater cooperation to strengthen resilience against the growing impacts of climate change.