Safe drinking water and sanitation in the focus of the UN

The Kazakhstani delegation headed by the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan Z. Suleimenova takes part in the UN Conference on Water Resources, held at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA. The Ministry of Healthcare of the country is represented by the Chairman of Committee of Sanitary and Epidemiological Control of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Sadvakasov.

The Republic of Kazakhstan, as a member of the UN, takes the necessary efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on water resources of Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

As N. Sadvakasov noted at the side event on water safety, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the revision of approaches in many areas. In prespective, it is critical to lay a solid foundation for water supply, sanitation and hygiene services, and to intensify the interaction of UN Member States and stakeholders to implement successful solutions in the field of water resources. Therefore, the Protocol on Water and Health is considered as a tool for strengthening intersectoral cooperation to achieve SDG No. 6, introducing sanitary and hygienic standards in line with international standards into healthcare practice, protecting water resources used as sources of drinking water, and establishing an effective monitoring and response system to outbreaks or incidents of water-related disease in the population.

Given the importance of the Protocol, the Government of Kazakhstan has decided to join it. This step will facilitate access to advanced technologies and knowledge in the field of providing the population with safe drinking water and sanitation.

The main outcome of the Water Conference is the adoption of an international program of action on water resources, containing voluntary commitments to the management of water resources to the governments of the participating countries, enterprises, non-governmental and other organizations.