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International Dialogue on “Role of Hydro-informatics and Integrated Water Resource Management under UN - Agenda 2030”
The UNESCO Water Chair at COMSATS Institute of Information Technology
(CIIT) Wah organized an International Dialogue on “Role of
Hydro-informatics and Integrated Water Resource Management under UN -
Agenda 2030” on May 24, 2016. The experts emphasized on the importance
of water and sustainable development as envisaged in United Nations
Agenda 2030 and UNESCO Actions in the Asia Pacific Region. The
importance of multi-sectoral integration and nexus of
poverty-water-energy-food security and climate change were identified as
essentials to ensure sustainable integrated water resource management,
sanitation goal and target areas with potential tools and methods for
monitoring progress and indicators as well as the means of
implementation.
Speaking at the inaugural session, the director CIIT-Wah, Prof. Dr.
Tayyeb Akram welcomed all the guests. He highlighted that it is the
basic right of all human beings to have access to clean water and
sanitation. Access to safe water and basic sanitation is a legal
entitlement rather than a commodity or service provided on a charitable
basis.
Representative UNESCO Pakistan, Ms. Vibeke Jensen commended the efforts
of CIIT Wah and UNESCO Water Chair. She mentioned “an important way to
achieve objectives of UN-Agenda 2030 is through the establishment and
ongoing support of UNESCO Water Chairs at higher education institutions
and UNESCO Water Centres throughout the world.”
Dr. John Wolfenden, Water expert from Australia gave a detailed note on
water security issues of the Asia Pacific region. He emphasized on
south-south cooperation between UNESCO Chairs and Centers.
Dr. Shahbaz Khan, Director UNESCO Regional Bureau of Science for Asia
Pacific moderated the technical session. Among other issues, research
focus on specific subject and geographic priorities in areas of water
science and policy were discussed. The role of UNESCO chairs and centers
was also brought under discussion.
The international dialogue was attended by representatives from UNESCO
Water Research Center CIIT-Abbottabad, national experts of ground water
and International experts from Australia, Phillipines, Malaysia, Korea
and Indonesia. The students actively participated in the dialogue and
appreciated that there should be more such forums where they can learn
about the latest developments from the experts.
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