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World Water Week 2008
15 August 2007
World Water Week 2008 kicks off in Stockholm on Sunday 17 August. The event,
which lasts until 23 August, will see DFID join other international players to
discuss global water and sanitation issues. With 2008 being the UN International
Year of Sanitation, the theme of this year's Water Week is "Progress and
Prospects on Water: For a Clean and Healthy World with Special Focus on
Sanitation".
A unique opportunity
Described as the leading annual global meeting place for the world's diverse
water community, the event hosts more than 100 plenary sessions, seminars and
workshops, attracting thousands of experts.
Specialists from DFID’s Water and Sanitation Team will be attending throughout
the week, taking the opportunity to promote current policy among other
water professionals from across the globe.
As
Peregrine Swann, DFID’s Senior Water Adviser, says: "Stockholm in
mid-August is where the world of water meets each year to exchange ideas,
discuss emerging issues and debate priority actions. World Water Week provides a
unique opportunity to hold all those side meetings where things are made to
happen."
Working together on water
The week is set to be a busy one, with members of the DFID team giving talks,
chairing debates and sharing panels on topics such as the role of water
management in adapting to climate change.
DFID’s key objectives for the event include taking forward programmes to improve
water quality and safety. Special attention will be devoted to the sanitation
challenge, and how to achieve the associated Millennium Development Goal
targets.
As Peregrine Swann explains: "By working together, there are key things that we
hope to achieve, such as trying to make the EU aid more effective; preparing for
the 24 September High Level Partnership Event on water and sanitation; improving
the international architecture on water resources; and coordinating EU research
programmes."
A round up of the week will feature on the DFID website on 1 September, allowing
you to catch up with all the news from Stockholm. DFID is also gearing
up to launch its water policy paper later in the year, backed up with renewed
commitments - get the latest on the DFID website in the months
ahead.
Water and sanitation facts
- Half the population of the developing world still lives without basic sanitation.
- Nine hundred million people worldwide lack safe and reliable water supplies.
- Progress towards the MDG target for access to safe drinking water worldwide is only just on track, while progress towards the sanitation target is seriously off track.
Source:
World
Health Organisation and United Nations Children’s Fund (2008)