Portuguese elected to change water and sanitation around the world – Observer



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Catarina Albuquerque wants to "reach 2030 and ensure that there is no one on Earth without access to water and sanitation of quality and dignity" . In an interview with Lusa, the Portuguese who will chair the UN partnership "Water and Sanitation for All" says she wants to change the reality of the world.

This will be one of the highest positions ever occupied by a Portuguese at UNICEF.

Catarina Albuquerque was already linked to the UN partnership "Sanitation and Water for All", to which she had been invited three years ago to the Executive Director, after having been the first UN Special Rapporteur on right to drinking water and sanitation. For its part, the United Nations has recognized water and sanitation as universal rights.

He will assume the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors, in which more than 200 people participated. The partnership has also evolved in recent years, with twice as many partners as between countries and donors, and doubling the budget.

That is why, he said, he will have more responsibilities in the United Nations initiative, created to give more political visibility to the theme of water and water. sanitation and to bring together the will and the global commitments.

"The main challenge is to translate these good wishes and commitments into a real impact at the national level, and my challenge is that in each country that is our partner there are alliances between governments, donors and private", "Defining policies, so that everyone knows what he wants", what he will do, how to eliminate inequalities and how "

Funding is also, he adds, a double problem because to the lack of money adds "misuse of existing money"

"One of the objectives is funding the sector at the national, regional and global levels." that the money that exists is better spent, not spent on the momentum "but is invested in a planned way, to ensure the sustainability of these investments. "There are countries that have granted loans, which have been ruinous for the economy, to build unsustainable water and sanitation systems."

Catarina Albuquerque knows that there are more people without access to water in non-western countries. the example of China or India, gives the example of Africa, but it ensures that all countries of the world concern it.

"I am worried about homelessness in Lisbon, Gypsy communities in Eastern Europe, asylum seekers and refugees" everywhere "." All countries have an effort to develop and there is none that can say "I was able to guarantee water and sanitation to all the inhabitants of my country".

The United Nations partnership brings together developed and developing countries, donors, multilateral agencies and civil society.

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