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UN chief calls for water security to ensure long-term peace

Xinhua, November 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called on the international community to invest in water security as a means to ensure long-term international peace and security.

Ban told the UN Security Council that competition for scarce water resources can exacerbate communal tensions and armed conflicts in turn can affect access to clean water.

Despite these challenges, Ban said the international community must recognize the potential for cooperation around shared water resources.

"Three quarters of UN Member States share rivers or lake basins with their neighbors," said Ban. "Shared water has historically ... brought adversaries together, and served as a crucial confidence building measure in both inter-state and intrastate conflicts."

In this regard, Ban called on the 15-nation council to highlight the value of water as a reason for cooperation, not conflict. Endit