Speech by UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan, Vladanka Andreeva at International Conference for Sustainable Management of Water Resources

Excellencies, dear ministers,

Distinguished partners, colleagues and friends,

• It is a great pleasure to be here with you today at this important conference on promoting partnerships and actions for the sustainable management of water resources.
• In his message for World Water Day, earlier this year, the UN Secretary General raised urgent concerns about increasing global pressures on water resources due to overuse, pollution and climate change.
• Droughts and heatwaves are growing in intensity and frequency. Risings sea levels are driving salt-water intrusion into coastal aquifers. Groundwater aquifers are being depleted.
• Over one in three people on Earth — 2.2 billion people —lack access to safely managed drinking water, including 884 million people without any basic drinking water services at all.  
• Some 4.2 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation — and approximately three billion people live without basic hand-washing facilities.
• The Secretary General called on everyone to work together across sectors and across borders to provide better stewardship of all water sources.
• Just two weeks ago, the Second High-Level Conference on the International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development (2018–2028) was held in Dushanbe in Tajikistan.
• Country representatives, international organizations and other stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing the SDGS for water as part of the 2030 Agenda.
• In doing so, they highlighted the essential role of water in any economically and environmentally sustainable, resilient, equitable, peaceful and inclusive future.
• In reiterating their determination to achieve the objectives of the Water Action Decade, the delegates at this conference committed themselves to four specific goals:

1. To ensure universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation, including relevant services, and hygiene for all – particularly in remote rural areas, schools and healthcare facilities.
2. To develop transformative water policies by promoting transparent cross-sectoral cooperation and investments in environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure, data, education, training, research and innovation.
3. To explore and develop synergies between water, environment,  climate change and disaster risk reduction.
4. And to enhance collaboration on water-related efforts across sectors.

***

Ladies and gentlemen,

• In Azerbaijan, water scarcity has become a growing potential threat due to the negative impacts of climate change.
• This issue is further complicated by the fact that some 70 percent of the water used in Azerbaijan originates in other countries.
• Water scarcity affects economic development, agricultural production,  livelihoods, and requires effective governance of water resources.
• To meet this challenge, cooperation will need to be further strengthened on water management among all stakeholders involved.
• Recent research by FAO highlights the importance of integration  of climate change considerations in water legislation. For example, these studies emphasize the need for helping farmers to transition away from outdated irrigation technologies that currently lead to significant water losses.
• UNICEF’s analyses highlighted the adverse impacts on children and families of a lack of water for households and farmers due to climate change. This report calls for strategies to tackle the threat of water shortages leading to a heightened risk of poverty.
• Over the past years, the UN family has been working closely with the Government of Azerbaijan and our international and national partners to help the country achieve the SDG water targets of ensuring clean water and sanitation for all.
• For example, UNDP helped carry out the Kura River Basin Programme. This programme supported the implementation of national Integrated Water Resources Management Plans in Azerbaijan and Georgia to strengthen and harmonize the coordinated management of transboundary ground and surface water.
• The UN Economic Commission for Europe helped develop Azerbaijan’s National Water Strategy and its adoption of national targets under the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health.

***

Colleagues,

• Today’s event comes at a timely moment, at the eve of tomorrow’s meeting in Tallin, Estonia marking the 30th anniversary of the Water Convention, and ahead of next year’s UN Water Conference which will provide a decisive opportunity to galvanize action on water for sustainable development.
• Partnerships will continue to be key to our responses to the water challenges ahead, and I hope that this international forum will help accelerate collaboration .
• Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm the UN family’s continued commitment to supporting Azerbaijan’s efforts to ensure a better future for people and the planet, including through strengthened sustainable water management.

Thank you for your attention!