World Water Day dialogue stresses need for public and private sectors to work together for water-secure growth
In celebration of World Water Day (WWD) 2016 IWMI hosted a World Water Day dialogue on March 23 titled “Water, jobs and prosperity in Sri Lanka: Partnerships for sustainability”. Scientists, policy makers and civil society organizations, together with representatives from some of Sri Lanka’s biggest companies, gathered for a lively dialogue on the future of the island’s water at IWMI-Headquarters in Pelwatta, Sri Lanka.
Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply, was the guest of honor at the discussion. Opening remarks were made by Shyama Salgado, National Program Manager, Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, International Labour Organization (ILO), and Karunasena Hettiarachchi, former Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, Water Supply & Drainage, and currently Secretary at the Ministry of Defence.
“The government is committed to developing key economic infrastructure such as irrigation. Water supply is pivotal to economic development of the country, which will, in turn, create jobs and reduce poverty,” said Hettiarachchi. “We need to make use of this golden opportunity to harness all our knowledge and skills to change and reform, so that the water sector will become more sustainable and more efficient.”
IWMI’s Peter McCornick, along with his keynote address, presented on Water and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Other key note speakers were Dr. Tanuja Ariyananda, CEO, Lanka Rainwater Harvesting Forum, who emphasized the considerable benefits that could be derived from improved collection of rainwater in the island and Dr. Ananda Mallawatantri, Country Representative, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), who highlighted the growing threat from water pollution and proposed new strategies for tackling the problem.
This was followed by an active panel discussion involving Ulrich Schmitt (World Bank), Badra Kamaladasa (Sri Lanka Water Partnership), Shyama Salgado (ILO), Anusha Alles (Brandix Lanka Limited), Professor Mahesh Jayaweera (University of Moratuwa) and Karunasena Hettiarachchi (Ministry of Defence).
“Water comes into contact with every sector that affects our lives,” said Hon. Rauf Hakeem closing the event. “It is not simply enough to have a World Water Day event, we need to try and create awareness and sustain it among the people. That is the challenge.”
The event was hosted by IWMI in partnership with (in no particular order) the International Labour Organization (ILO); United Nations Global Compact, Sri Lanka; World Vision; Coca Cola; John Keells Holdings; Hayleys; LafargeHolcim; Brandix Lanka Limited; and the World Bank.