“Water and sanitation problems have reached a boiling point globally,” President Jacob Zuma told a United Nations (UN) High Level Panel on Water (HLPW).

Zuma was addressing 10 other sitting heads of state and government and one special adviser which form the HLPW. The panel was convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank Group President Dr Jim Yong Kim to provide the leadership required to champion a comprehensive, inclusive and collaborative way of developing and managing water resources, and improving water and sanitation related services.

The Panel, which took place late last month, issued an Action Plan for a new approach to water management that will help the world to achieve the 2030 agenda, including the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The HLPW commits itself to take action on water, and calls upon heads of state and government, and all people, to do the same.

Zuma believes that the action plan will assist South Africa to use some of its proposed models, like the Urban Water Alliance, to mobilise public and private effort including resources, knowledge, and expertise to assist cities with their smart design plans for resilient water (re)use systems for urban areas and bridge the access gap to water and sanitation, particularly in often under-invested second-tier cities and small towns. This will also be a bid contributor to water security.

“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promises to leave no one behind in access to basic services, including water and sanitation. Realising this vision requires a comprehensive approach based on human rights principles,” said Ban Ki-moon.

Jim Yong Kim added: “Economic growth in some regions could be cut by as much as 6% because of water scarcity alone. The High Level Panel on Water is critically important because the world needs leadership at the highest political level to usher in policies that support a more sustainable use of water.”

 

The Panel members, who serve for two years, are:

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius (Co-Chair)

Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico (Co-Chair)

Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister of Australia

Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh

János Áder, President of Hungary

Hani Mulki, Prime Minister Jordan

Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of The Netherlands

Pedro Pablo Kuczynski Godard, President of Peru

Macky Sall, President of Senegal

Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa

Emomali Rahmon, President of Tajikistan

Special Adviser

Dr Han Seung-soo, Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea