Former Ghanaian Leader To Head UN-Backed Partnership

New York, Nov 16 2011 12:10PM
The former Ghanaian president John Agyekum Kufuor will head the United Nations-backed partnership known as Sanitation and Water for All, which works to achieve universal and sustainable access to decent sanitation and drinking water.

“The dream of sanitation and water for every person is within reach, but it will take a great deal of political will, adequate resources, and coordinated efforts,” said Mr. Kufuor, accepting his new position as the first high-level chair of the partnership yesterday.

“I am committed to making this happen, because I am not content to live in a world where 2.6 billion people lack access to a decent toilet and 900 million people do not have clean water to drink,” he said.

The partnership, which brings together governments, donors, civil society organizations, development partners and several UN agencies, works also with UN Water and the UN World Health Organization (WHO) to produce a global assessment report on drinking water.

The UN entities involved in the partnership are the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and UN University (UNU).

Mr. Kufuor will chair the next high-level meeting of the partnership in April in Washington D.C., which will bring together finance and water ministers from developing countries to discuss the economic benefits of investing in sanitation and water.
Nov 16 2011 12:10PM
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