Tunis/Tunisia — The issue of water stress and the best ways to deal with it took centre stage at a meeting on Friday evening between President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed and Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries Abdelmonem Belati.

They discussed the possibility of setting up a Saharan land development office drawing on countries that have succeeded in transforming the desert into green areas, and of constructing large water desalination plants running on solar energy.

The President of the Republic considered that such actions have become a necessity, affirming that the solutions to be identified to solve the water stress problem do not only concern agriculture.

"It is also possible to install pipes to transfer desalinated water from the Gulf of Gabes to Gafsa for the treatment of phosphates and to all arid areas," he pointed out.

The Head of the State further underlined the need to recover state-owned land, which are public property, and to take a firm action against all shortcomings and forms of corruption in this key sector.

He recalled the country's riches, explaining that agriculture has not been given the importance it deserves and that it is time to draw up clear policies to preserve this sector.