By Atâyi Babs
World leaders and experts attending the 2016 Budapest Water Summit have called for increased funding and prioritisation of the water and sanitation sector if the world is to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Declaring the summit opened this morning, Mr. János Áder, President of the Republic, Hungary established the llnk between water and the SDGs. “Water connects with the SDGs in several ways and responsible water resource management is a guarnatee for development,” President Áder said.
In a video message at the opening plenary, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged both public and private sectors to prioritise water in every developmental initiative. “We must invest in water and sanitation for the benefit of all”, he added.
To Joaquim Levy, World Bank Managing Director and CFO, “Water is central to the #SDGs and central to the Paris Agreement hence the world must take it seriously.”
The Budapest Water Summit (BWS), which runs from 28th – 30th November 2016 is organised by the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in collaboration with the World Water Council.
The summit assembles around 1800 participants and 600 Sustainable Water Solutions Expo visitors from 117 countries. BWS 2016 will serve as a platform for discussion for heads of state and government, ministers, high-level representatives of international organisations, states and governments, members of the scientific, business and financial sectors and representatives of civil society from all over the world.
