Press Releases

Permanent Representative, Ambassador Kornelios Korneliou, addressed on 23 March 2018, the high-level event launching the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2018”, which took place at the United Nations.

In his speech, Ambassador Korneliou emphasized that water scarcity, pollution, lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and water-related disasters constitute serious global water challenges. He also underlined that the International Decade for Action Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028 is a timely and significant step in supporting efforts to address today’s water challenges. “The Decade, together with a number of global frameworks agreed in recent years, notably Agenda 2030 and the SDG 6 on water and sanitation, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction are crucial in supporting the implementation of water related targets and goals”, he said.

Ambassador Korneliou also indicated the importance of water for his country, Cyprus, which has been facing for decades water scarcity, frequent droughts and lately the decrease in waterfall.

“My country has traditionally implemented policies of sound water management. In recent years, state of the art technologies were put in place to increase the availability of water resources, through desalination and recycled water. Strongly supporting international and regional cooperation, we have also established  bilateral and trilateral cooperation on issues of integrated water management with neighboring countries and organizations and we are committed to continue working in this area”, he concluded.

(MG)