Remarks by UN Resident Coordinator at Opening Ceremony of Water and Environment Week

Acknowledgements:

The Right Honourable Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Prime Minister of Uganda,

Honourable Ministers,

Honourable Members of Parliament

Local Government Officials,

Civil Society and Private Sector Representatives, Youth climate leaders

UN Colleagues,

The Media

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the United Nations system, I am delighted to participate in this year’s Water and Environment week. Congratulations for a great plan to raise awareness about three UN days, namely the International Day of Forests – 21st March; World Water Day – 22nd March; and World Meteorological Day – 23rd March. I wish to thank the Ministry of Water and Environment for this idea and for inviting me to give an address at this function on topics which are close to the heart of the UN Secretary-General and the African values of Obuntubulamu. I am here in the context of the 2030 Agenda which all United Nations member states, including Uganda, adopted a common vison of using inclusive partnerships to achieve 17 Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Climate change, forests and water – are at the epicenter of our journey towards shared prosperity. We have an individual and collective responsibility to take action now.

Today is the International Day of Forests (IDF), celebrated under the theme “Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being”. Forests provide health benefits for everyone, such as fresh air, nutritious foods, clean water and space for family recreation. In developed countries, up to 25 percent of all medicinal drugs are plant-based; in developing countries, the contribution is as high as 80 percent. According to the 2020 Water and Environment sector performance report, in Uganda, forests coverage has reduced from 24% in 1990 to 12.4% in 2020. This means that in another 20 years Uganda could stop being the Pearl of Africa due to deforestation. The question is, what are we going to do today to ensure the protection of the Budongo, Bugoma and Zoka forests? Concerted action by cultural leaders, private sector and the Government is key, as failure to act will lead to more natural disasters, devastation and poverty.

Tomorrow, 22nd March, is the International Water Day under the theme “Valuing Water”. Water is critical for our households, food, culture, health, education, economics and the integrity of our natural environment. If we do not understand water’s true relevance, we will miss the opportunity to protect and teach our children to safeguard this critical resource. Water can exist without us but we cannot exist without water. As the UN, we share Uganda’s aspiration to improve the quality of life at household level, of moving parishes to a money economy, of enhancing both production and social protection. For this to be done in a sustainable manner, we must apply the concept of environmental protection to development, especially in light of the growing population and rapid urbanization. We must carefully implement both our approaches and technologies for agriculture, industrialization, services, ICT, tourism, etc. We must pursue green industrialization, green agri-business, renewable energy, and environment friendly health care and tourism. We must invest in community participation in disaster preparedness and heritage tourism should lead the way by showcasing the cultural kingdoms, their sites and the values around conservation.

Our new global data shows that more than 1.4 billion people – including over 450 million children – live in areas of high or extremely high-vulnerability to water. This means that globally, 1 in 5 children do not have enough water to meet their daily needs. Climate change is making water insecurity worse. When disasters hit, they destroy or contaminate entire water services, increasing the risk of diseases like cholera and typhoid, to which children in Uganda are particularly vulnerable. With the advent of COVID-19, access to water and sanitation have become essential to mitigate the spread of the disease. Ensuring affordable and smart solutions for households, parishes and districts across this nation is key to achieve sustainable development. A holistic approach calls on us to value water sources, water infrastructure, water services, water as an input for production and socio-economic activity as well as water as part of our cultural and spiritual heritage.

On 23rd March we shall commemorate the World Meteorological Day under the theme “the Ocean, our climate and weather”. Oceans cover some 70% of the Earth’s surface, making them a major driver of the world’s weather and climate change. Oceans are also major drivers of the global economy, carrying more than 90% of world trade and sustaining 40% of humanity living within 100 km of the coast. Uganda is a land linked country, with most goods coming from the coasts of Mombasa and Dar-er-Salaam as part of the East African community. If we work on cross-border value chains, this will enable Ugandan farmers and entrepreneurs to establish targeted links with partners in Kenya and Tanzania which will enable East Africa to be in a robust position to benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. Imagine wheat grown and preserved with high quality post-harvest services in Uganda, packed in Kenya and sold to Nigeria, South Africa, Singapore, Australia, the EU and even the United States.

Before I conclude I wish to highlight that the COVID-19 pandemic requires us to change the way we do business, commemorate events and share knowledge. In this context, this year we must stay focused, keeping our distance, wearing masks, washing our hands frequently with soap and clean water or disinfecting them as we mark Water Week. This is an opportunity for each of us to pay tribute to human commitment and ingenuity with those around us. Post an encouraging message, organize a webinar, go on a radio talk show. Together let’s highlight the importance of preservation. We cannot improve livelihoods or achieve prosperity without determining how we will protect nature. Allow me to share some statistics to inspire our action: a) Around half of global GDP depends on nature; b) Our oceans and forests sustain billions of people and provide green jobs – 86 million green jobs from forests alone; c) Four billion people rely primarily on natural medicines; and, d) Natural climate solutions – such as afforestation and using greenery to cool our cities and buildings can provide around one-third of the emissions reductions needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Right Honourable Prime Minister, allow me to appreciate the working relationship between the Government, Parliament, United Nations, development partners, civil society and private sector in supporting the climate change and natural resources agenda in the Country. Through the UN Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDCF) 2021- 2025, under the 2nd Strategic Priority, we commit to support the attainment of “Shared Prosperity in a Healthy Environment” by focusing on reducing environmental degradation and the adverse effects of climate change, while also improving the utilization of natural resources for sustainable economic growth. This is part of our contribution to supporting Uganda attain the SDGs, the National Vision 2040 and NDP III.

As I conclude and reiterate the UN’s commitment to a healthy world that will support health, peace and prosperity for generations to come, let me end with a quote from Nelson Mandela, “We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.” Together let’s make a difference, preserve our planet for the next generation and ensure that no one is left behind.

Thank you for your attention