UNITED NATIONS, June 24 (Xinhua) -- United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces on Monday urged the international community to take actions to mitigate the impacts of water-related disasters.
"We need to act to mitigate the impacts of water-related disasters," said Espinosa at the Fourth United Nations Special Thematic Session on Water and Disasters held at the UN headquarters in New York.
"It is crucial that we continue not only to talk about water and disasters, but to take concrete steps to address these issues in the context of broader sustainable development and climate change strategies," the UNGA chief said.
From health to nutrition, to gender equality, water is "central" to sustainable development, Espinosa stressed.
Although since 1990, over 2.6 billion people have gained access to improved drinking water, "one in three of us still lacks access to safe water," she said.
"Over 700 children under five still die every day from diarrhea linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation," she added.
Noting that water-related disasters are linked to poverty, displacement and conflict, the UNGA chief said that "in just a few short moments, they can reverse hard-won development gains, divert much needed resources, and undo years of investment in public services and systems, which in turn can impede disaster relief, recovery and reconstruction."
The poorest countries "suffer from the greatest impacts, we know that disasters are likely to increase and that no country or sector is immune from their impacts," she said.
"Everyone here is a stakeholder by mobilizing political will and resources, and by establishing targets and monitoring progress," said Espinosa.
"Floods and droughts do not respect borders. This is a clear-cut case for co-operation between countries, and at the global level. This is a clear-cut case for more multilateralism," she said.
"If we are bold and serious on our climate commitments, if we come fully equipped from the Climate Summit in September, if we work together, if we get it right, we can reduce the impacts of water-related disasters, save lives and resources," she added.
The UNGA chief also referred to cyclones Idai and Kenneth, which she said "left more than 2 million people in dire need of assistance - a devastating reminder that roughly 90 percent of natural disasters are water-related."
