Your Majesty Emperor Naruhito,
Your Majesty King Willem-Alexander,
Distinguished former UNSGAB members,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am honored to welcome you to the UNSGAB+5 Online Conference. The Conference provides an excellent opportunity to share views on the global situation on access to water and sanitation. And, to encourage stakeholders to keep taking actions towards the achievement of water-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
I wish to express our appreciation to:
? the group of former UNSGAB Members,
? the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), and
? the High-Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP).
They are co-organizing this Conference in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, through its Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD). I also commend the former UNSGAB group for their significant contributions and hard work.
Excellencies,
The COVID-19 pandemic is posing an additional challenge to achieving SDG 6. It is impairing access for billions of people to safely managed drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services. And yet, these services are desperately needed to prevent the virus from spreading.
Even before the pandemic took hold, progress towards SDG 6 was insufficient. Indeed, the proportion of the global population using safely managed drinking water services has increased, from 61 per cent in 2000, to 71 per cent in 2017. Yet, 2.2 billion people still lack access to safely managed drinking water, including 785 million without basic drinking water. Moreover, 4.2 billion people lack safely managed sanitation, including 2 billion without basic sanitation. Of these, 673 million people practice open defecation.
Handwashing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But only 60 per cent of people have a basic handwashing facility with soap and water at home.
Climate change is exacerbating the situation, with increasing disasters such as floods and droughts. 80 per cent of wastewater in the world flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused. And 70 per cent of the world’s natural wetland extent has been lost, including a significant loss of freshwater species.
Urgent action is needed to overcome this global crisis. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides the blueprint for a sustainable future for all – especially the most vulnerable, who bear the greatest risks and impacts.
In response to this global crisis, the 缅北禁地system launched the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework last year. The Framework identifies five accelerators that will dramatically improve support to national progress on SDG 6. They are:
? Optimized financing;
? Improved data and information;
? Capacity development;
? Innovation; and
? Governance.
We call upon all stakeholders to galvanize actions around these areas in order to accelerate achievement of water-related goals and targets.
Excellencies,
As this year marks the fifth anniversary since the completion of UNSGAB, it is vital to reaffirm the critical role of the water and sanitation sector in addressing these global challenges.
The United Nations remains fully committed to working with you to accelerate the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
I wish you a successful Conference.
Thank you.