World Water Day – Valuing Water (22 Mar. 2021)

Today, March 22, we are celebrating World Water Day, the theme of which is “Valuing Water” this year. While thousands of people are deprived of access to drinking water and sanitation and the depletion and pollution of resources continue to grow as a result of climate change, increased demand and ineffective management, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs attaches particular importance to this issue, following the adoption last year of France’s International Strategy for Water and Sanitation (2020-2030), led by the ministry.

In 2019, the French Development Agency pledged €1.3 billion for the sector and the projects carried out enabled 1.3 million people to benefit from a drinking water supply and more than 700,000 people to have access to sanitation systems.

Water is a common good whose value goes far beyond its price and access to this resource is a basic human right. In order to conserve this resource that is critical and essential to all aspects of our life, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs is continuing its efforts and is actively committed to ensuring that water is managed in an integrated and sustainable manner throughout the world.