[Source: Fijian Government/ Facebook]

Minister for Infrastructure Jone Usamate and Minister for Health Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete are in Jakarta, Indonesia attending the Sustainable Water for All Forum Sector Ministers Meeting.

More than 100 countries were at the two-day high-level event where they were represented by a Vice President and Ministers responsible for the water and sanitation portfolio from developing countries.

The UN’s member countries host the SMM every three years.

[Source: Fijian Government/ Facebook]

Both Ministers attended all programmes and events that were arranged for the SMM, learning from respective national experiences and practices in the areas of water governance, security of water supply and access, and equitable and unimpeded quality supply.

Water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of people globally, an alarming figure that is projected to rise as temperatures do. Although 2.1 billion people have improved water sanitation since 1990, dwindling drinking water is affecting every continent and island state like Fiji.

[Source: Fijian Government/ Facebook]

Minister Usamate stated that sharing and learning from the rich experiences and practices with his fellow Ministers from developing countries was a timely initiative.

Usuamate highlighted that water cuts across all sectors of the economy are affected by respective land use practices- both agricultural and forestry, climate change, etc and it’s quality and unimpeded supply requires the collaboration and partnership by Government with all our national stakeholders, including Fiji’s communities and resources owners.

He adds that without this pivotal platform, Fiji’s achievements of the SDG6 come 2030 is a very remote target for us.

In addition to the two day event, both Ministers attended bilateral engagements with their respective Indonesian counterparts to strengthen bilateral relations between #Fiji and Indonesia regarding their respective portfolios.