Suqia promotes Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award

The UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia), under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, is promoting the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award, which is worth USD 1 million and was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The new campaign, which was launched in cooperation with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has been widely promoted across Holland, India, Frankfurt, London, Milan and China. The move is part of Suqia's efforts to support the UAE's goal to become a knowledge-based economy with a strong focus on technology, Research & Development (R & D) and innovation. 

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award aims to find sustainable solutions for water scarcity. It encourages leading corporations, research centres, institutions and innovators from across the world to compete to find sustainable and innovative solar-energy solutions to the problem of water scarcity. 

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award has three categories. The Innovative Projects Award is worth $500,000. The Innovative Research and Development Award is worth $400,000 and has two categories: National institutions and International institutions. The Innovative Youth Award is worth $100,000. The winners will be announced in the fourth quarter of this year. 

"Suqia encourages leading corporations, research centres, institutions and innovators from across the world to compete to find sustainable and innovative solar-energy solutions to the problem of water scarcity. This comes in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The award helps in achieving the National Innovation Strategy launched by His Highness, to make the UAE one of the most innovative nations in the world. The strategy focuses on seven national sectors to stimulate innovation. These include encouraging innovative solutions to the challenge of water scarcity in the world," said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia). 

According to Mohammed Abdulkareem Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of the UAE Water Aid Foundation, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award's promotion in The Netherlands, India, Frankfurt, London, Milan and China, enhances the Foundation's efforts to encourage related organisations to participate and contribute in achieving the goals of the award. 

"The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award has a huge attraction in all campaigns and has so far attracted many companies. This interest is added to the attraction that the award has across all various international events such as COP21 in Paris, activities and meetings that coincided with the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the Solar Decathlon in California, USA, and the Carbon Ambassadors Programme, in Dubai, UAE," said Al Shamsi. 

The evaluation criteria include technology, design, environmental alignment, creativity, innovation, health and safety, and sustainability.