Water deserves higher priority on development agenda – UN official

(March 17,2009) ;-Water must be given higher priority on the development agenda, a top United Nations official told a global gathering that opened Monday in the commercial Turkish capital of Istanbul. He stressed that the problems the world faces with regard to this precious resource are enormous. Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) told the opening of the 5th World Water Forum, that developing countries themselves need to increase investment in water, and systematically integrate water in poverty reduction strategies. Stating that the international community must also dramatically scale up its support, he urged leaders in all sectors, to use this report as a guide and impetus for bold and sustained action to meet the world’s water needs.” The theme the meeting which concludes March 22 is “Bridging Divides for Water.”
Matsuura presented the latest UN World Water Development Report, which warns that the surging growth in global population, climate change, widespread mismanagement and increasing demand for energy, have tightened the grip on the world’s evaporating water supplies. As the world’s population has swollen to well over 6 billion people, some countries have already reached the limits of their water resources, according to the report compiled by over 20 UN agencies.