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Top UN official calls for better cooperation on water resources

Xinhua, September 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

A top UN official on Thursday called on the international community to further strengthen the cooperation on water resources in order to prevent water-related conflicts as water represents peace, life and dignity.

Jan Eliasson, the deputy UN secretary-general, made the remarks at an event of "waster as a source of peace," which was aimed at developing political momentum to advance water cooperation and prevent water-related conflicts.

The event was held on the sidelines of the annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly, which opened here Tuesday and runs through Sept. 26.

"Water is peace -- it is a central element to the security of communities and nations," he said. "Water is life -- it is indispensable to development, indeed to our survival on Earth. And water is dignity -- it is a human right, fundamental for justice and rule of law."

The focus of the Thursday meeting is on the first part of this equation: the linkage between water and peace, he noted.

"There is a growing recognition that natural resources frequently play a central role in conflicts and, at the same time, hold the key to their prevention," he said.

"In today's interconnected world, water availability is directly related to peace and security, but also to development and human rights," he said.

"Cooperation over water resources is an urgent and demanding challenge," he said. "Strains on water are rising in all regions. Climate change, pollution and growing demand for water are adding up to scarcity and ever greater risks."

"More frequent and more intense periods of drought are devastating communities, causing hunger and driving people from the countryside to cities, increasing pressures on water which can lead to instability," he said.

By 2050, the world population could rise to 9 billion -- 9 billion people sharing the finite resource of water, he said.

"We have repeatedly seen competition over this scarce resource be a major driver of discontent, turning into both internal and regional conflicts," he said. "I have personally witnessed this in Sudan, Iraq and elsewhere."

"While these risks are real, we must also recognize and build on the opportunities that water presents for international cooperation," he added. Endit