Mia says groundwater crucial in maintaining human life, natural ecosystems
Minister of Water and Sanitation Abida Mia says groundwater could play a crucial role in maintaining human life and natural ecosystems on earth.
Mia was speaking after attending the UN Summit on Groundwater that took place at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, from the 7th to the 8th of December 2022.
The summit focused on UN World Water Development Report 2022 as a baseline and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6 Global Acceleration Framework to define actions towards more responsible and sustainable use and protection of groundwater as a vital natural resource.
“Sustainable management of groundwater is dependent on a holistic approach, where different components are integrated and linked by a shared value – Groundwater Security,” she said.
Mia also mentioned the need to capacitate institutions at all levels to respond to groundwater resource challenges, especially under sudden and extreme climatic shocks.
She however indicated that Malawi is equally encouraging groundwater scientists and administrative professionals in the sector to continue exploring solutions that enable groundwater protection and sustainable harvesting.
The UN Summit on Groundwater 2022 brought attention to groundwater issues at the highest international level. The Summit also unified statements from all major water-related events in 2021 and 2022, focusing towards the next UN Water Conference for 2023, where progress on sustainable water management will be further assessed.
