E.U. Sees Water and Sanitation Key Priorities for Development

European Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom has said that water and sanitation are the key priorities for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

"I believe that only coordinated global action and implementation could solve the global water crisis. The water initiative of the European Union wants to make a key contribution to the implementation of the program of action at the World Summiton Sustainable Development," Wallstrom said.

A report given by the commissioner says that the world is facing a global water crisis, where 1.2 billion people have no save access to drinking water, 2 million others have no access to save sanitation, 80 percent of the diseases in developing countries are waterborne and 6,000 children die everyday from poor sanitation and hygiene.

"The global water crisis is a major threat to sustainable development -- to economic development, to poverty reduction, to the environment and to peace and security. Solving the water crisis means progress in all pillars of sustainable development," Wallstrom said.

Wallstrom, who heads the European Commission Delegation at the Fourth Preparatory Committee Meeting for World Summit on Sustainable Development, added the European Union spends 1.4 billion euro each year on water projects worldwide.

The commissioner underlined that the European Union would use the ministerial meeting in Bali to forge partnership to secure concrete results for Johannesburg World Summit in August.

Source: Xinhuanet