Al-Mashat: Efficient Water Resource Management Directly Impacts Implementation of Various Sustainable Development Goals

During the G20 Development Ministerial Meeting at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, delivered Egypt's speech at the main session of the Development Working Group, discussing water issues as a cornerstone of sustainable development achievement. Water stands as one of the three focal areas through which the Development Working Group operates within the G20 framework, given its critical role in advancing sustainable development goals and enhancing development efforts in developing and emerging economies.

In her address, H.E. Minister Al-Mashat underscored the international community's commitment since 2015 to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals agenda by 2030, ensuring a sustainable and equitable future for all. H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat highlighted the recent Sustainable Development Goals Summit in September, affirming commitment and accelerating actions towards goal achievement amidst increasing global crises hindering development efforts.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat noted the urgency and challenges posed by climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and pollution, emphasizing the pressing need for sustainable and affordable access to safe drinking water. She also highlighted the Brazil presidency's call within the G20 to enhance water services, stressing that access to these services is fundamental to health, nutrition, and other crucial sustainable development outcomes.

Moreover, Al-Mashat reviewed Egypt's AWARe initiative launched at the climate conference, aimed at addressing global water and climate challenges, particularly in vulnerable developing countries, through on-the-ground project support. H.E. Minister Al-Mashat stressed the importance of financing for water adaptation projects as a central pillar of achieving sustainable development globally.

Furthermore, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat highlighted the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation's efforts in this regard, with water projects under Sustainable Development Goal 6 receiving 19% of available concessional development financing from international partners. Projects include enhancing national capacities to address water security challenges and establishing a desalination system in the Gulf of Suez, alongside water and sanitation projects across Egyptian provinces.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat added that SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation has multidimensional impacts, intersecting with various other sustainable development goals including health, wellbeing, poverty eradication, and inequality reduction.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat emphasized the challenges facing flexible and sustainable water system financing, stressing the need to mobilize diverse financial resources for water planning systems and infrastructure.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat underscored the significance of the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, scheduled for Spain in 2025, in addressing financial challenges hindering sustainable development, including those related to SDG 6 under the 2030 agenda. Al-Mashat noted these challenges disproportionately affect developing countries, impeding their ability to make necessary investments in sustainable development.

Despite numerous advancements, H.E. Minister Al-Mashat noted that a significant portion of the global population still lacks access to water services, necessitating increased investments in water services across health, education, and workplace sectors. H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of comprehensive community participation, highlighting that strengthening these services under local and international cooperation policies is crucial to accelerating efforts towards achieving SDG 6.

The session also discussed mechanisms to accelerate the implementation of sustainable development goals through innovative approaches that promote economic and social development, with particular attention to investing in human capital, especially in the health and education sectors.

It is noteworthy that the G20 represents the premier forum for international economic cooperation, playing a critical role in shaping and enhancing global governance and administration over key international economic issues. The Development Working Group (DWG) serves as the coordinating body for development policies within the G20 framework, supporting efforts to promote and accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), thereby fostering economic growth, environmental protection, and social inclusion, ensuring the attainment of international goals and leaving no one behind in the development journey.