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Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,<\/strong><\/p>\n Mr. Dennis Francis,<\/strong><\/p>\n at the High-Level Event \u201cCelebrating World Water Day 2024: Converging Efforts, Keeping the Momentum of Progress\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n 22 March 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n [As Delivered] <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Your Excellency, Mr. Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan,<\/em><\/p>\n Professor Dwikorita Karnawati, Minister for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics of the Republic of Indonesia,<\/em><\/p>\n Your Excellency, Jaap Slootmaker, Vice-Minister for Infrastructure and Water of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, <\/em><\/p>\n Under-Secretary General for Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-DESA, Mr. Li Junhua,<\/em><\/p>\n Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/em><\/p>\n Let me to express my deep appreciation to the Permanent Representatives of Indonesia and Tajikistan for their kind invitation to me \u2013 as well as to the Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-DESA and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Water for their co-sponsorship and support for this important event.<\/p>\n Your leadership in spearheading the Water Agenda at the United Nations and beyond, has been exemplary and is very much appreciated.<\/p>\n Today, we unite in celebration of World Water Day 2024<\/strong>, a pivotal occasion to honour the indispensable essence of water \u2013 a lifegiving resource that transcends borders, flowing seamlessly through landscapes, and indeed civilizations.<\/p>\n Just as a raindrop descending upon New York may have traversed the sprawling Amazon River, it serves as a poignant symbol of our world’s interconnectedness \u2013 where water sustains life and ecosystems alike.<\/p>\n \n Excellencies,<\/em><\/p>\n Under the banner of \u201cConverging Efforts, Keeping the Momentum of Progress\u201d, we reflect on the successes of the 2023 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Water Conference. We must also deliberate on how we can take forward these lessons \u2013 as we prepare for the 10th<\/sup> World Water Forum in Bali and the Water Action Decade Conference in Dushanbe in the coming months.<\/p>\n It is crucial that we holistically address the inter-related cross-sectoral aspects of water and sanitation and fully operationalize inter-agency coordination to comprehensively deliver the Water Agenda \u2013 leveraging upscaled water and sanitation action.<\/p>\n Complementarity, therefore, is critical to drive progress and support the implementation of successful solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals on Water.<\/p>\n Following the 2023 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Water Conference, I am pleased that the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly adopted a follow-up resolution \u2013 which produced important mandates, including a Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-wide strategy and the convening of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Water conferences in 2026 and 2028.<\/p>\n I look forward to positive developments on these mandates during this session, as well as on the 830 voluntary commitments collected over the last year to push for ambitious action on water related goals and targets.<\/p>\n The multiple and complex challenges we face regarding water access and management \u2013 whether too much, too little or polluted \u2013 are compounded by climate change.<\/p>\n This, in turn, exacerbates social, economic, and political tensions \u2013 increasing the likelihood of conflict and violence.<\/p>\n Yet, beyond these overlapping obstacles lies an opportunity for unity and cooperation \u2013 a dynamic that is essential to forging a world that is both water-secure and peaceful.<\/p>\n We must unite, in common cause, \u2013 transcending borders and overcoming divisions \u2013 to protect and preserve our most precious resource.<\/p>\n \n Excellencies, <\/em><\/p>\n Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/em><\/p>\n Let me close by underscoring that, in this noble pursuit, inclusive partnerships \u2013 that also engage local communities \u2013 will bolster resilience to the vagaries of climate change and extreme weather events.<\/p>\n To further our efforts, it is imperative to delve into accelerated implementation of agreed commitments within the water agenda.<\/p>\n In upcoming meetings, we must confront any bottlenecks head-on and explore potential solutions.<\/p>\n Dialogues, such as this, can foster synergy and forge connections between the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ process and non-Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ initiatives \u2013 thereby not only advancing the global water agenda and SDG6, but also driving progress on all other Goals.<\/p>\n By collaborating across diverse multistakeholder platforms \u2013 and leveraging collective expertise \u2013 we can accelerate progress towards a water-secure and sustainable future for all.<\/p>\n Whether in ensuring universal access to clean drinking water or fortifying food security, water cooperation remains the linchpin of progress and prosperity.<\/p>\n Therefore, let us pledge to take decisive action.<\/p>\n Let us harness the transformative power of water as a catalyst for peace, solidarity, and shared prosperity for all.<\/p>\n I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your unflinching dedication to this vitally important, life-sustaining cause.<\/p>\n \n I thank you.<\/strong><\/p>\n * *** *<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remarks by the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, at the High-Level Event \u201cCelebrating World Water Day 2024: Converging Efforts, Keeping the Momentum of Progress\u201d 22 March 2024 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[81,111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-276360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n