The 2023 United Nations Water Conference opened on Wednesday in New York with the participation of Morocco, represented by the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, at the head of an important delegation.
Co-organized by Tajikistan and the Netherlands with the support of the United Nations, this international conference is dedicated to the mid-term review of the implementation of the objectives of the 2018 Decade of Action for Water -2028, which was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 2016.
During this conference, which is being held for the first time in more than five decades, Morocco intends to reiterate its constant commitment and plead with the international community for better consideration of the water issue in the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Morocco also plans to reaffirm its ties with its partners, while expressing its readiness to share its accumulated experiences and good practices in the field of water, within the framework of solidarity and active cooperation.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Equipment and Water, the efforts and projects undertaken by the Kingdom in the field of water will be highlighted within the framework of a parallel event under the theme “sustainability in good governance of groundwater resources”. The objective is to federate the efforts of international actors around the sustainable governance of water resources at the highest level.
Attended by Heads of State and Government, Ministers and stakeholders, the UN Water Conference will draw attention, organizers say, to the accelerating pace of increasing floods, unpredictable rainfall and droughts, as well as the impacts of climate change on water that threaten sustainable development, biodiversity and people’s access to water and sanitation.
Speaking at the opening of this event, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres indicated that this is a conference on the contemporary world, seen from the angle of its most important resource, stressing that the ate is the “sap” of humanity and the prosperity that sustains nations.
“This conference must mark a decisive step forward, a step change, to lead Member States and the international community not only to fully understand that water is of vital importance for the viability of our world and that it is a tool promotion of peace and international cooperation, but also to take the necessary measures for this purpose”, he insisted.
For the UN chief, now is the time to make decisive commitments to bring the water agenda to life.
Noting that one in four people live without safely managed water services or safe drinking water and more than 1.7 billion people lack basic sanitation systems, Mr. Guterres estimated that public authorities must develop and implement plans to ensure equitable access to water for all, while preserving this precious resource.
In this context, he called on Member States to adhere to the United Nations Water Convention and to apply it, while committing to investments in water and sanitation systems.
LNT with MAP
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