Momen to attend UN Water Conference in US

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen is set to attend the UN Water Conference, to be held in New York from March 22–24.

The conference will be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Tajikistan.

The ‘UN 2023 Water Conference’ – the first in almost 50 years –  will create global momentum for accelerated implementation and improved impact to advance the broad challenges surrounding water, organisers said.

Foreign Minister Momen will lead the Bangladesh delegation at the conference, according to foreign ministry spokesperson Seheli Sabrin.The delegation will also include Zaheed Faruque, the state minister for water resources, she said.

The conference will carry out an integrated review of the progress of implementation of the 'Water Action Decade (2018-2028)' and is expected to make the internationally agreed water-related goals and activities more dynamic and effective, reports UNB.

At the conference, the Bangladesh delegation will discuss the country's progress on issues covered under ‘UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring the sustainable management of water and sanitation for all’ and regarding the international assistance to achieve this goal. 

This year’s conference will also address the challenges – posed by climate change – to water availability and management.

In this regard, the Bangladesh delegation will present local experiences in water adaptation as a result of climate change, such as floating crop farming methods, and various local methods, including the invention of submergence, drought, salinity, and climate-resilient crop varieties, to the world community.

Moreover, Bangladesh will highlight the work done by the government at the technical level on proper assessment of water in various sectors of the economy.

In addition, discussions will be held with the neighbouring countries and all others concerned on the issues that Bangladesh has emphasized on basin-based management in the field of international water resources cooperation.

Bangladesh is set to present its short- and long-term plans in the field of adaptive delta management under the 'Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100' before the global community.

Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene is considered the most basic human need for health and well-being.

But decades of poor management, misuse, over-extraction of groundwater, and contamination of freshwater supplies have intensified water stress and degraded water-related ecosystems.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, around 3.6 billion people struggle to get enough water to meet their needs for at least one month every year.

The UN said that urgent action is needed to ensure a sustainable and equitable distribution of water for all needs.

This year’s conference seeks to support game-changing solutions for the multifaceted crises of “too much water”, such as storms and floods; “too little water”, such as droughts and water scarcity; and “too dirty water”, such as polluted water, according to the World Economic Forum.