Senegal and the United-States: new stages in the World Water Council’s political Marathon
“So that water does not remain a lower priority, let us mobilize everyone so that no one is left behind.” This is the meaning of the true marathon undertaken by Loïc Fauchon, President of the World Water Council and his team over the past three weeks. No less than 14 ministers were met face-to-face in Africa, particularly in Niamey, Ouagadougou and Dakar.
Two important meetings in Africa for the 9th World Water Forum Kick-off Meeting
Diamniadio (Greater Dakar), Senegal, 20 and 21 June – With nearly six hundred organizations and experts, the preparations for the 9th World Water Forum were launched. A Forum which in 2021 must bring Responses enabling change the everyday life of hundreds of millions of children and adults. These responses will bring them water and sanitation but at the same time, in line with the President's new crusade, they will bring food, health care and medicine, and education. It is the principle of the “Five-Finger Alliance” to bring, through solidarity, each of these basic services that constitute human rights necessary to human dignity.
"In many regions of the world, access to water and sanitation is declining. We must talk about the responses that will enable change the everyday lives of millions of people throughout the world."
(Loïc Fauchon, President of the World Water Council at the UN HQ)
New York, Monday, 24 June
- The United Nations, for a meeting full of emotion with Mrs. Amina J. Mohammed, serving under the Secretary General, Mr. Guterres. The meeting is requested to mobilize UN agencies (UNICEF, UNDP ...) today too absent on the subject of water.
- The UN GA Special Session on Water-related disasters: The Council defends the need for a policy of prevention of water-related disasters due to climate or the proliferation of polluted slums. Loïc Fauchon negotiates assiduously the concept of « blue helmets for water», necessary to evaluate damages.
- Bilateral discussions with the Indonesian Government for the holding of future meetings.
Washington DC, Wednesday 26 June – Meetings with financiers, bankers and investors, two intense days to convince them to spend much more money on access to water. Representatives from the OECD and the World Bank agree and support.
Twenty days, some forty thousand kilometers, several hundred exchanges, speeches, one-on-one discussions, press briefings.
The hydro diplomacy deployed by the President of the World Water Council pushes the boundaries.