The European Union(EU) has agreed to offer Latin American countries 500 million euros (some 6 million U.S. dollars) in aid to help ease the worsening water crisis, Spanish Environment Minister cristina Narbona said Wednesday.

According to the agreement signed between the EU and more than 10 Latin American countries on Tuesday, the EU will help Latin American countries improve their exploitation and management of water resources, especially enhancement of efficiency in the use of water resources in agriculture.

In the coming months, the Latin American countries that signed the agreement would present to the EU assessment reports on the status quo of their water resources and difficulties in water supplies, Narbona said at a news conference.

The EU will work out practical action plans on the basis of the reports, the minister said.

According to official figures released at the fourth World Water Forum, the distribution of water resources in Latin America is extremely unbalanced with droughty and semi-droughty areas accounting for two thirds of Latin America, with one-fourth of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean region suffering shortage of drinking water.

The seven-day fourth World Water Forum ended in Mexico City Wednesday with the publication of the Declaration of Mexico signed by representatives from more than 140 countries.

Source: Xinhua