Water Should Be a Priority in Every Nation’s Foreign Policy
![U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers remarks at a roundtable on global water security at the United Nations in New York, New York on September 25, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0926_clinton_water_roundtable_m.jpg)
About the Author: Maria Otero serves as the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.
I was glad to see more than 200 people in the audience for a discussion on water, peace, and security on the margins of the 67th meetings of the UN General Assemblyyesterday. The United States, the European Union, and UN-Water co-sponsored the event, which drew senior representatives from governments, UN agencies, and international financial institutions. Secretary Clinton, whose remarks closed the event, has made water issues a priority in our diplomatic and development efforts, and I have been pleased to lead those efforts for the State Department.
Citing the findings in a recently released United States Intelligence Community Assessment on Global Water Security, Secretary Clinton noted… more »
Secretary Clinton Calls for Cooperation on Shared Waters
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
September 25, 2012
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged countries to find cooperative solutions to shared water challenges at a high-level discussion held today at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, New York.
Citing the findings in a recently released United States Intelligence Community Assessment on Global Water Security, Secretary Clinton noted that water is becoming an increasing source of tension between countries and a potential factor in state failure. She encouraged countries to increase the priority given to water challenges and to work together to strengthen institutions that support cooperation.
Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Maria Otero moderated the discussion at the “Water, Peace and Security” event, which highlighted recent work from the United States, the UN, and others that underscore the growing challenges water issues pose to peace and security. Senior officials from over 50 governments attended the discussion, which was sponsored by the United States, the European Union, and UN Water. Participants reflected on the implications of these findings and discussed approaches for addressing these challenges at the national and regional levels.
For additional information, please see the Global Water Security, US Intelligence Community Assessment and The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security Issue
Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer cuts the ribbon at the second Annual 6k Walk for Water outside of the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on April 18, 2012. The Annual 6k Walk for Water, part of the Department’s Earth Day celebrations, is organized to acknowledge the millions of people in the developing world, most often women and girls, who walk an average of six kilometers to collect water for their families. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]
Photo of the Week: Water Issues Are Integral to U.S. Foreign Policy Goals
![Turkana women sing and dance as they pat down the trapezoidal bund they built in Kenya. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0324_water_africa_m.jpg)
About the Author: Luke Forgerson serves as DipNote’s Managing Editor.
Our “Photo of the Week” comes to us from Elizabeth Petrovski at the U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome, Italy. Elizabeth recently had the opportunity to visit Kenya, where she observed projects run by the World Food Program (WFP) and its cooperating partner, the Kenya Child Fund, in the northeastern district of Turkana. In the photograph, Turkana women sing and dance as they build a trapezoidal bund, an instrument along with water pans that Kenyan herders and farmers use to collect and preserve rainwater for human and livestock consumption and crop irrigation in areas regularly impacted by droughts.
Water issues are integral to many U.S. foreign policy goals, from advancing food security to empowering women and… more »
Walking in the Footsteps of Millions
About the Author: Maria Otero serves as Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs.
Water. It is the world’s most essential commodity, and yet most of us take it for granted. We have only to turn on our faucets for clean, plentiful water. Bottled water lines our grocery aisles and water fountains can be found in most any park. But for nearly a billion people worldwide, many of them women and girls, this ubiquitous access to water remains only a dream.
Today, I was joined by nearly 300 people in the State Department’s first ever six-kilometer “Walk for Water.” Why six kilometers? Because this is the typical distance that a woman in the developing world walks every day to collect water. Many walk further.
As nurturers and homemakers, women bear the overwhelming responsibility of finding and collecting water for their families. For many, this means spending more than 15 hours a week carrying heavy loads of water.
But the effects… more »
![Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer cuts the ribbon at the second Annual 6k Walk for Water outside of the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on April 18, 2012. The Annual 6k Walk for Water, part of the Department’s Earth Day celebrations, is organized to acknowledge the millions of people in the developing world, most often women and girls, who walk an average of six kilometers to collect water for their families. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2qviv8PO11qcug8io1_500.jpg)
