Organizers: High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters; the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the UN; World Meteorological Organization and other international organizations in Geneva; and Geneva Water Hub World Meteorological Organization
Your Excellency, former Prime Minister Dr Han,
Your Excellency former President Türk,
Your Excellency Ambassador Habib,
UN Special Representative Kishore,
UNSG's Special Envoy on Water, former Foreign Minister Marsudi,
Secretary-General Professor Saulo,
Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,
Thank you for the opportunity to say a few words today.
In 2023, cyclone Freddy struck Malawi. At the time, the country was already grappling with its worst cholera outbreak in decades, the result of inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene.
The cyclone exploited pre-existing vulnerabilities, with flooding contaminating water sources, damaging or blocking hospitals, and disrupting vaccination programmes and medical supply chains.
Strong water, sanitation and hygiene are fundamental to health in normal circumstances. They become even more important when disasters strike.
The UN General Assembly recognizes water and sanitation as human rights and calls for prioritizing services for the most vulnerable. Last year's resolution emphasized the importance of basic WASH and electricity in healthcare facilities.
WHO estimates that 1.4 million people die every year as the result of poor water, sanitation and hygiene - in their homes, schools and even in their hospitals and clinics.
So I very much welcome the appointment of former Minister Retno Marsudi as the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General on Water.
Her work can make a huge difference to millions of people, by preventing disease, reducing the spread of antimicrobial resistance, and improving the lives of women and girls, who are usually the ones sent to collect water.
For more than six decades, WHO has supported countries to develop their national drinking water standards through our Guidelines on Drinking Water Quality.
More recently, WHO has produced guidelines on sanitation and health, and will soon publish guidelines on hand hygiene in communities to prevent pandemics and disease outbreaks.
WHO monitoring and data can also help support countries to direct WASH funding to serve the most vulnerable communities.
Let me close with three priorities.
First, we need to respond to the Paris Agreement's Global Goal on Adaptation, by building more climate-resilient water and sanitation services.
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Second, we need longer-term investments in WASH across the humanitarian-development nexus.
And third, we a need a coordinated UN system to support countries to improve WASH and health.
The new UN System-wide strategy on water and sanitation is an important step in bringing coherence to a fragmented landscape.
Thank you all for your continued commitment to improving water, sanitation and hygiene.
WHO remains committed to working with you as part of our commitment to health as a fundamental right - not a privilege - for all people.
I thank you.
