..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services

Date 16 March 2005
Press Release No: N/09/2005

UNESCAP LAUNCHES THE INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR WATER ON WORLD WATER DAY 2005

Bangkok (United Nations Information Services) – The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), in cooperation with the Government of Thailand, is launching the International Decade on Water 2005 – 2015 on World Water Day, 22 March 2005 at the Main Hall of the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand.

Almost 700 million people in the Asia Pacific region, or one in five, lack access to safe drinking water. There are 2 billion people without adequate sanitation, which makes this an urgent reminder to do everything we can to help.

The World Water Day 2005 program will begin at 8:30 am, Tuesday 22 March with speeches from UNESCAP Executive Secretary Kim Hak-Su; a message from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan; remarks by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) Thailand, H.E. Yongyuth Tiyapairat, and the keynote address on water by the Permanent Secretary of MONRE Mr. Pitipong Puengbun na Ayuddhya.
Our speakers include representatives of the Japan Water Forum, the UN Development Programme, the UN Food And Agriculture Organization and the UN World Health Organisation.

Visitors will enjoy an exhibition and discussion led by the Rotary Club of Bangkok for students and young people to debate water issues related to the themes of this year’s World Water Day in the afternoon.

The morning opening session will be followed by two days of technical sessions of the First Thailand Water Forum, on water issues in Thailand, including: Water for agriculture, Water for domestic and industry use, Water for the environment, and Stakeholder participation.

The theme for the International Decade on Water 2005 – 2015 is “Water for Life”. The first water decade in the 1980’s brought water to over a billion people and sanitation to almost 770 million. The second decade, starting in 2005, aims to achieve one of the internationally formulated Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

NOTE TO EDITORS: You or your representatives are cordially invited to attend the launch of the International Decade on Water 2005 – 2015 on World Water Day, 22 March 2005 at the UNESCAP Main Hall, UN Conference Centre, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok.

For further information please contact:

Mr. David Lazarus, Chief, UN Information Services Bangkok
Tel: +(66-2) 288-1861-9; +(66-1) 8492554
Fax: +(66-2) 288-1052
E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org

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