Background

“A Matter of survival”, the Report of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace, draws a lot of attention, Washington and New-York

29.01.2018 “A Matter of survival”, the Report of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace, draws a lot of attention, Washington and New-York

On 16 January 2018, The Woodrow Wilson Center, together with the U.S. Water Partnership, organized an event on "A Matter of Survival : Learning to Cooperate Over Water". During this event, the Chairman of the Global high-level Panel on water and peace, Dr Danilo Türk, former President of the Republic of Slovenia, presented the Report of the Panel, “A matter of survival”. This event provided a platform for U.S. water sector leaders to share their insights on water and peace, also bringing into focus the new U.S. Global Water Strategy.

During this event, President Danilo Türk was awarded the U.S. Water Leader Award for his work with the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace.

More information about the event and webcast available here.

Photos of the event:

On 16 January 2018, a delegation composed of Dr Danilo Türk, former President of the Republic of Slovenia and Chairman of the Global high-level Panel on water and peace, members from the Strategic Foresight Group, from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Geneva Water Hub, met with Laura Tuck, Vice-President of the World Bank. This meeting allowed for an exchange on the work of the High level Panel on water, of which the World Bank is the Secretariat together with the UN, and on the views of the World Bank on the Report of the Global high-level Panel on water and peace, “A Matter of Survival”.

On 17 January 2018, Dr Danilo Türk, former President of the Republic of Slovenia and Chairman of the Global high-level Panel on water and peace, Mr Mike Hammah, former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources of the Republic of Ghana and Member of the Panel, members of the Strategic Foresight Group and of the Geneva Water Hub met the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Mr Luis Almagro, for a briefing meeting. The meeting was very successful and there was general agreement to develop further the cooperation between the present organizations.

Photos of the event:

On 17 January, the Geneva Water Hub met with the Inter-American Development Bank for a lively exchange on possible cooperation around the implementation of the Global high-level Panel on water and peace’ recommendations.

On 18 January, a delegation composed of Dr Danilo Türk, former President of the Republic of Slovenia and Chairman of the Global high-level Panel on water and peace, of Mr Mike Hammah, former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources of the Republic of Ghana and Member of the Panel, of members of the Strategic Foresight Group, of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and of the Geneva Water Hub met with representatives from the United Nations Department of Political Affairs, for a very successful exchange on possible synergies moderated by Teresa Whitfield, Director, Policy and Mediation Division, UN Department of Political Affairs.

On 19 January, the International Peace Institute in New York hosted, together with the Geneva Water Hub, a policy forum event on “Water and Peace: A Matter of Survival”. The Report of the Global high-level Panel on water and peace, “A matter of survival”, was discussed in presence of the Chairman of the Panel, Dr Danilo Türk, Former President of Slovenia, of the Member of the Panel Mr Mike Hammah, former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources of the Republic of Ghana, Sundeep Waslekar, President of the Strategic Foresight Group, Teresa Whitfield, Director, Policy and Mediation Division, United Nations Department of Political Affairs, and François Münger, Director of the Geneva Water Hub. The high level of attendance and the questions asked reflect the interest around the issue of water and peace.

Webcast of the event is available here.

Photos of the event:

On 19 January, the Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the United Nations Office in New York organized a briefing with the UN Secretary General Mr António Guterres. The delegation was composed of Dr Danilo Türk, former President of the Republic of Slovenia and Chairman of the Global high-level Panel on water and peace, Mr Mike Hammah, former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources of the Republic of Ghana and Member of the Panel, Sundeep Waslekar, President of the Strategic Foresight Group, Pio Wennubst, Vice-Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and François Münger, Director of the Geneva Water Hub.

On this occasion, President Türk presented the Report of the Global high-level Panel on water and peace, “A matter of survival”, to the United Nations Secretary General, drawing attention to the critical importance of hydro-diplomacy for peace. The Secretary General welcomed the work done by the Panel and underlined the links between water, sustainable development and peace. The Director of the Geneva Water Hub, Mr François Münger, took advantage of this opportunity to give a vinyl of the Symphony for water and peace composed in parallel to the work of the Panel, aimed at drawing the attention on this vital issue and of the potential of water for peace.

Photo of the event below:

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