South Africa’s Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane has officially opened the South African water exhibition stand at the 2016 Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden.
Observed from 28 August – 2 September 2016, the SIWI World Water Week is an annual focal point for the globe’s water issues.
Held under the theme ‘Water for Sustainable Growth’, the week brings together experts, practitioners, decision-makers, business innovators and young professionals from a range of sectors and countries to network, exchange ideas, foster new thinking and develop solutions to the most pressing water-related challenges of today.
While welcoming the South African delegation on Sunday, Minister Mokonyane, accompanied by Ambassador Faith Doreen Radebe from the South African Embassy of Sweden, told delegates that over the week, the focus will be on sustainability.
“We also need to focus on reliability of alternative services, provision of resources, funding and information we use. That will enable us to speak on matters of growth and sustainability, which requires human capital,” said Minister Mokonyane.
The Minister also echoed the importance of South Africa’s involvement in the High Level Panel on Water (HLPoW) and told South Africans not to sell themselves short.
“The very fact that we are part of the HLPoW should be an indication that even though we are a developmental state, we are still capable of making contributions to … sustainable development, inclusive growth and knowledge based solutions that are driven through research to be able to adapt to the realities of climate change,” the Minister said.
SIWI World Water Week will see a number of sessions being held and papers by the South African delegation presented to share the lessons learnt, and also to take from other countries their best practices.
