Media Statement by the Director General of the Department Of Water and Sanitation, Mr Dan Mashitisho, on World Water Day Summit and Expo
Deputy Chairperson of South African Local Government Association ( SALGA) Cllr Lindiwe Ntshalintshali
Coordinator and Director, United Nations World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) UNESCO- Professor Stefan Uhlenbrook
Alternate Sherpa and Chief Director Global Cooperation Ms Nchedi Maphokga- Moripe
Members of the media
Tomorrow, the world will converge in Durban, South Africa at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, to participate and witness celebrations of the 2017 United Nations World Water Day hosted in partnership with United Nations World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), featuring the 2017 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report (UNWWDR), titled “Wastewater: The Untapped Resource”.
World water day is observed annually on 22 March since 1993 under the auspices of the United Nations. The United Nations noted and endorsed this calendar day and month to broaden the global focus on water related issues.
The President of South Africa His Excellency Mr Jacob Zuma in his capacity as the member of the High Level Panel on Water HHLPW, will launch the initiative on “Access to Water and Sanitation for 10 Billion- People”, on behalf of the Panel The HLPW is convened and co-chaired by the United Nations Secretary General and the President of the World Bank Group, Mr Jim Kim.
The President will deliver a Declaratory Statement on behalf of the Panel, outlining Panel Action Plan to the WWDR as will inform the roll out activities.
Africa is one of the continents with more representation by three Heads of State, South Africa, Mauritius and Senegal, which justifies the support and full participation of the African Ministers Council for Water (AMCOW), to ensure the elevation and influence of the Water narrative in the region in pursuance of the acceleration of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goal 6 on Water and Sanitation.
The celebrations will converge global participants comprising of President in his capacity as a member, High Level Panel on Water (HLPW), Global Member States, HLPW Sherpas, Ministers, UN
Agencies, Friends of Water, Provincial and Local Governments, Business, Labour, Research institutions, Academics, civil society organisations, regional and sub-regional statutory bodies.
The end of the WWD there will be adoption of outcome document, The Durban Political Declaration with the endorsement by all global participating politicians in support of the work of the Panel
It has become so important for the world to unite and work together at this level to mitigate challenges faced by different countries in the provision of enough water resource and safe quality drinking water.
These challenges are witnessed in the different regions hence the "Call for Action" in the Transformation and provision of water, Valuing water, Data provision, Partnerships, Improved infrastructure, Financing for Infrastructure Development, Transboundry Management, Policy development, and support for fragile States on water cooperation.
The main conference activities will include the High Level Panel and Technical Experts who will interact with conference participants on key technical aspects through facilitated plenary discussions.
The Summit Commissions will be focused on in-depth analysis of prevailing challenges, identify practical solutions and recommend plans of action on scaling up implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Goal 6 is about ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. This goal means that water and sanitation are the very core of sustainable development, critical to human survival and the environment.
Towards the end of the Summit more time will be dedicated to peer interaction and networking sessions. These sessions shall be devoted to information exchange, discourse and experience sharing amongst stakeholders. Various learning stations and exhibition stalls will be mounted to facilitate information sharing with participants.
Ladies and Gentlemen let me end this brief by quoting the words of President Zuma when he addressed the media in the sidelines of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2016,
“Never before in history of the multilateral platforms, did the world converge and agree on giving hope and dignity to so many across the globe in pursuit of access to clean water and sanitation, in this new era of the 2030 Agenda.
We were born to unite with our fellow man, and join communities of the human race in order to create equal chances for success at all levels in our race against time to save the planet for the next generations, while seeking a positive economic and social developmental path, through water infrastructure investments, catalyzing change, building partnerships and international cooperation, creating better human settlements.”
The World Water day and the Launch of the 2017 World Water Development Report and World Water Day Summit and Expo comes at an opportune time when the country is celebrating its Human Rights Month. This is a reminder to all of us that access of clean and safe water is not a privilege but it is a basic human right which everyone must enjoy as enshrined in our constitution.
South Africa will therefor continue to advocate for water as a Human Right , hence the President's role in the initiative access to water for 10 billion people by 2030.
Ladies and gentlemen the Department of Water and Sanitation, working with all other stakeholders in the water sector, wishes to reaffirm its commitment in ensuring that all South Africans enjoys all basic services such as clean water and dignified sanitation.
We remain unchanged on our slogan that Water is Life, Sanitation is Dignity.
For more information contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 874 2942
Lennox Mabaso
Cell: 082 884 2403
