Water Security Seminar: Sustainable Development Goal 6, Access to Water and Sanitation for all

Abstract

On 14 March 2023 the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) hosted the Water Security Seminar to launch the ASSAf Statement on Water Security in South Africa, and engage across sectors on solutions to strengthen water sustainability. The crafting of the Statement was necessitated by the United Nations 2023 Water Conference and to highlight the socio-economic threat in the face of continuously declining water security in South Africa, thus a call for action. The solution targeted Statement was crafted by a 20-member panel from various local institutions. The Statement was in sync with the discussion themes of the UN 2023 Water Conference, namely, (1) Water for Health, (2) Water for Development, (3) Water for Climate, Resilience and Environment, (4) Water for Cooperation, and (5) Water Action Decade. During the Seminar, the Statement was handed over to the water sector leader, the Department of Water and Sanitation represented by their Chief Engineer, Mr Mark Bannister. Mr Bannister additionally gave an overview of South Africa’s progress concerning Sustainable Development Goal 6. Sectors that attended the Seminar include, government (national and local government), academia and research institutions, water boards, business, agriculture, energy generation, media, non-governmental organisations. Seminar attendance by youth was noteworthy as represented by: Jabulani Technical Secondary School (Soweto), South African Young Academy of Science, Sibayeni Metro Farming, Young Water Professionals, South Africa Youth Parliament for Water. During the Seminar, ASSAf additionally communicated endeavours to establish the ASSAf Water Security Forum as a multi-sectoral platform to engage on water issues concerning South Africa.