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Statement by H.E. Mr. Mohamed Siad Doualeh before the Security Council on Water, Peace and Security

Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Presenter: 
H.E. Mr. Mohamed Siad Doualeh
Location: 
United Nations, New York

Statement by

H. E. Mr. Mohamed Siad Doualeh

Ambassador, Permanent Representative

of the Republic of Djibouti to the United Nations

Before the Security Council

On the Theme:

Water, Peace and Security

Tuseday 22 November 2016

 

M. le Président,

Permettez-moi de remercier la Présidence Sénégalaise pour nous avoir convié à ce débat public du Conseil de Sécurité sur la question inscrite sous le thème du Maintien de la paix et de la sécurité internationales : « l’eau, la paix et la sécurité »

Ma délégation tient à remercier, le Secrétaire Général des Nations Unies S.E.M Ban Ki Moon, le Président du Panel de Haut Niveau sur l’Eau et la Paix Monsieur Turk, Madame Beerli Vice-présidente du Comité International de la Croix rouge et enfin Monsieur Waslekar, Président du Groupe d'analyse stratégique et prospective, pour  leur contribution à ce débat public important. 

Nous souhaitons, en outre vous remercier pour la note conceptuelle rédigée en prévision de cette réunion, en ce qu’elle permet de faire ressortir les points saillants autour desquels nos débats seront articulés.

 Mr. President,

Djibouti wishes to commend Senegal for its leadership in convening the aria formula meeting on the same subject last April chaired by His Excellency President Macky Sall.

It builds on past efforts by the Security Council to examine the nexus between water, peace and security and protection of natural resources as a tool for preventing conflicts and building peace in post-conflict countries.

Mr. President,

Since the adoption of resolution A/RES/47/193 of 22 December 1992 deciding that the 22 March of each year be declared World Day for Water, pressure on water is rising, and action is urgent. Growing populations, more water-intensive patterns of growth, increased rainfall variability, and pollution are combining in many places to make water one of the greatest obstacles to poverty eradication and sustainable development.

Floods and droughts already impose huge social and economic cost, climate change is making water extremes worse.

 The action plan of the High level panel on water affirms that and I quote “if the world continues on its current path, projections suggest that the world may face a 40% shortfall in water availability by 2030. The consequences of such stress are local, transboundary and global in todays interconnected world”. End quote.

Mr. President,

Water is an important element of this discussion as a potential driver of conflict, a potential cause of disaster and an essential precondition for development.

 It is high time we raised the political commitment to urgently address this issue.

90 percent of the African continent is covered by 64 transboundary river basins. Some of these river basins in Africa still lack any agreement; it is also being increasingly recognized that transboundary groundwater must be better factored into transboundary cooperative arrangements for water.

More so, Transboundary water cooperation is needed for the proper implementation of the SDGs, especially indicator 6.5.2 on the percentage of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation.

M. Le Président,

Notre organisation régionale, l’IGAD a consacré beaucoup de temps et d'attention à l'élaboration d'une politique régionale et d'un cadre juridique en matière de gestion des ressources en eau.

 En 2015, les ministres en charge de l’eau des pays membres de  l’IGAD, ont manifesté une volonté politique forte de relever de manière coordonnée et concertée les multiples défis liés à la gestion commune des ressources naturelles et en particulier la gouvernance de l’eau et ont convenu de :

  1. promouvoir une coopération plus étroite pour un usage, une protection, une conservation et une gestion équitables, durables et coordonnées des ressources en eau transfrontalières au sein de la région de l'IGAD.
  2. promouvoir et de faciliter la mise en place d'accords et d'arrangements institutionnels pour la gestion des ressources en eau transfrontalières au sein de la région de l'IGAD;
  3. promouvoir l'harmonisation des politiques et des législations relatives à l'utilisation, au développement, à la protection, à la conservation et à la gestion des ressources en eau transfrontalières
  4. d’encourager la recherche, le développement technologique, la sensibilisation et le renforcement des capacités dans le développement et la gestion des ressources en eau transfrontalières.

Mr. President,

It’s worth underlining that IGAD and UN have agreed to develop a collaborated effort aimed at sharing experiences and good practices and most importantly to promote a conflict-sensitive approach to managing natural resources, including fresh water and rivers.

Mr. President,

We wish to seize this opportunity to commend ICRC’s role in raising awareness about norms of International Humanitarian Law and for its efforts to ensure the protection of water in times of armed conflict and for the vital humanitarian work performed as one of the main providers of water to populations affected by armed conflicts. 

To conclude, Djibouti wishes to reiterates it profound gratitude to Senegal and other distinguished members of the Security Council for putting this issue on our agenda – we are convinced that investing on prevention to avoid escalation in water related conflicts should be one of the priorities of this body, as it has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The benefits far outweigh the costs!

                                                                                       Thank you Mr. President