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UNESCO raises the flag for sustainable development through sustainable water management
鈥淲e must continue to bring together policy-makers and scientists, the private sector, civil society and international organizations 鈥 to define a common agenda, to craft joint solutions for sustainability鈥, said Irina Bokova.
On Tuesday, 11 March, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and Mr Sirodjidin Aslov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, opened a meeting at UN Headquarters aimed to take stock of progress made in the International Year of Water Cooperation, which was celebrated in 2013, and advancing the Global Water Agenda beyond the Post-2015 development goals.
Noting that the International Year provided a platform to raise awareness, to catalyse cooperation and to push forward the water agenda across the world, the Director-General said 鈥渢he International Year of Water Cooperation was a great success 鈥 more than a milestone, it was a watershed.鈥
鈥淐ooperation around water, for water and through water, must happen everywhere 鈥 between States and within them 鈥 because there can be no development without water, and no sustainable human development without sustainable water management鈥, emphasized Ms Bokova.
The Director-General highlighted that water cooperation is a cross-cutting issue that must happen at all levels.
Continuing to press on the messages reiterated throughout the International Year, she recalled that the stakes are high.
鈥淲e must continue to bring together policy-makers and scientists, the private sector, civil society and international organizations 鈥 to define a common agenda, to craft joint solutions for sustainability鈥, she said.
Looking to the future, the Director-General underscored the need to integrate the messages that have come out from the International Year into the new global sustainable development agenda to follow 2015.
She reiterated UNESCO鈥檚 proposal for Member States to consider a single sustainable development goal ensuring 鈥榃ater Security for Sustainable Development鈥.
鈥淭he International Year of Water Cooperation has shown the need for a single, focussed goal, to advance water security for poverty eradication and sustainable development鈥, Ms Bokova concluded.
Two roundtables with panel discussions subsequently took place, where UNESCO representatives participated amongst the many authorities present from the field of international water cooperation, including the Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tadjikistan.
