Beijing, April 22 (SANA) The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has called for stronger investment in the global water cycle, citing mounting pressures from climate change and a decline in funding for the sector.
In a report titled “Asian Infrastructure Finance 2026: Where Does Water Flow?”, the bank said the water cycle should be treated as an integrated infrastructure system that supports storage, renewal and cross-border water flows.
The report, cited by China’s Xinhua news agency, said funding shortfalls and weak governance remain key challenges, urging governments and institutions to scale up financing, strengthen regulatory frameworks and adopt appropriate technologies.
It highlighted a widening financing gap, noting that water-related projects accounted for less than 10 percent of total development financing in 2020, down from about 30 percent in 2000.
The report stressed the need to balance investment between natural infrastructure, which helps regulate water flows and preserve quality, and engineered systems responsible for storage, supply and protection.
It added that better alignment of these efforts could help shift the world from a worsening water crisis toward a more resilient and sustainable future, positioning water as a driver of development rather than a source of risk.
The AIIB, a multilateral development bank that began operations in 2016, focuses on financing sustainable infrastructure in Asia and beyond and includes more than 100 member countries.
N.J/ ABD
