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18 Mar, 2016

UN Asia-Pacific HQ to mark 23 March, World Water Day 2016, with launch of report on ‘Water and Jobs’

Bangkok, 17 March 2016, (UNESCAP News) – World Water Day 2016 will be commemorated by the United Nations at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok from 9:00am to 11:45am, Wednesday 23 March. The event will feature the launch of the World Water Development Report 2016, focusing on the theme “Water and Jobs.”

ESCAP, UNESCO and ILO have prepared the report in partnership with other UN agencies. It focuses on three main areas for the Asia-Pacific region, namely addressing the gaps in water and sanitation through improving water infrastructure, improving efficiency in water use to facilitate economic growth, and enabling transitions beyond sectorial issues.

International World Water Day has been held annually since 1993 as a means of focusing global attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year, World Water Day highlights the importance of water in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the need to develop strategies and policies to enable new job opportunities, and increase public awareness on the value of water services in urban development, industry, agriculture, and tourism.

· Dr. Hongjoo Hahm, Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP on World Water Day 2016

· Ms. Irina Bokova, Director General, UNESCO

· Mr. Maurizio Bussi, ILO Director, Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific

· The statement of Mr. Ban Ki-Moon Secretary-General, United Nations

· UNESCO/ILO presentation on the main outcomes and finding of the report by Dr. Ramasamy Jayakumar, Chief, Natural Sciences, UNESCO

· Reflections on the report, moderated by Mr. Stefanos Fotiou, Director Environment and Development Division, ESCAP

· Remarks from ESCAP Permanent Delegations on water and jobs

· Remarks from discussants on water and jobs from the floor