A Celebration of the Release of the New U.S. Global Water Strategy
USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman’s Keynote Remarks
Thank you, Noam. And also my thanks to Representative Blumenauer for your leadership on this issue, and to Representative LaHood, thank you. You really have done an amazing job in getting us where we are today.
I also want to acknowledge the late Representative Walorski for her service and legacy of progress on global water issues.
Today’s threats to development gains intersect in ways that underscore the importance of our work to build a water-secure world.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call and a reminder that more than a quarter of the world’s population lacks access to handwashing with water and soap, which is critical for preventing the spread of the disease.
The linkages between water security and a changing climate are as magnified as they’ve ever been, from historic flooding in Pakistan – leaving a third of the country under water – to the megadrought crippling the Horn of Africa.
And as conflict around the world continues to rise, water can serve as a weapon of war, as we’ve seen in Ukraine where water infrastructure has been razed, leaving innocent civilians without essential services.
Its scarcity also serves as a cause or an accelerator of conflicts, as we’ve observed in Iran, Somalia, Kenya, and other countries spanning almost every continent.
U.S. leadership is needed now more than ever. In May, Vice President Harris launched the first-ever White House Action Plan on Global Water Security – a plan that will now be operationalized by the newly refreshed U.S. Global Water Strategy.
With the release of the White House Action Plan and the Global Water Strategy, the United States is demonstrating its commitment to driving progress on global water security.
Continue reading on usaid.gov
Speakers:
- Representative Darin LaHood (IL-18)
- Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-3)
- Representative Grace Meng (NY-6)
- Noam Unger, VP for Development Policy, Advocacy and Learning, InterAction
- Isobel Coleman, Deputy Administrator for Policy and Planning, USAID
- Jennifer Littlejohn, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State
- Kelly Parsons, CEO, WaterAid America
Related GlobalWaters.org resources: