Review the participation of ECLAC promoting the action agenda for water for Latin America and the Caribbean at the United Nations Water Conference

During the Water Dialogues for Latin America and the Caribbean organized by ECLAC in February 2023, a Regional Action Agenda for Water was prepared. The Agenda is a compilation of the main ideas, efforts and voluntary commitments related to water, expressed during the aforementioned event, with a view to the United Nations Water Conference. It is conceived as a living instrument that can be updated and reviewed in the next meetings of the Regional Water Dialogues and with the work and investigations carried out by the members of the Regional Group of Experts on Water Resources, integrating new commitments from communities and countries in the region.

This Agenda has been presented at the UN Water Conference 2023 held in New York between March 22 and 24, 2023. The event had the objective of evaluating the progress related to the sustainable development goal 6 related to water and sanitation, within the framework of the Comprehensive mid-term review of the activities of the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” (2018-2028).

ECLAC participated and brought the voice of Latin America and the Caribbean to the following events:

1. Side event “Network and Observatory for the Sustainability of Water in LAC (ROSA): Advancing in the Regional Water Action Agenda in WASH”, co-organized with the Ministry of Housing, City and Territory of Colombia, where the regional action agenda was presented for water, in addition to the ROSA project.
2. Side event “Promotion of Water Security in the Central American Integration System (SICA), Central America and the Dominican Republic: challenges and opportunities”, where the synergies between the regional water action agenda were presented, specifically, in terms of the sustainable and inclusive water transition, with the Regional Environmental Framework Strategy (ERAM) that the Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD) has formulated.
3. Side event, “Water Governance Innovation: Breaking Boundaries for Water and Climate” organized by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).
4. Side event “Accelerating the implementation of the Water Action Agenda”, organized by the five Regional Commissions: for Latin America and the Caribbean, for Asia and the Pacific, for Europe, for Western Asia and Africa with the aim of communicating the actions carried out by each region, and the relevant progress of their countries.
5. Side event “Integrating water valuation perspectives towards better decision-making” reviewing the regional water action agenda, in that section based on the 5 Water Valuation Principles of the Valuing Water Initiative.
6. Parallel event: “Women in Water in Latin America and the Caribbean”, organized by the Community of Women in Water in Latin America and the Caribbean (CMA-LAC), where in addition to presenting the regional agenda, gender gaps in America were presented Latin America and the Caribbean and recommendations to address them.

In addition, in the following link you can review an interview with Silvia Saravia, ECLAC economic affairs officer for water issues, in the framework of World Water Day.