New York – In the world, there are 783 million people who don’t have safe access to drinking water, and 2.5 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation services, and are thus suffering from waterborne diseases. In fact, the use of contaminated water remains one of the leading causes of death among children under five. These are the chilling numbers released by the WHO and UNICEF on the occasion of World Water Day 2015, which took place yesterday, on March 22. In recent years, the Italian Cooperation has been active in the water sector by financing measures aimed at increasing the availability of water resources in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and implementing “capacity building” programs for the management of the water sector. In general, the Italian Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGCS) supports multiple water supply programs directed at: the creation of irrigation systems, the construction and maintenance of wastewater treatment and sanitation installations, agro-industrial development initiatives, sustainable agricultural techniques and methods for an efficient use of water aimed at combating desertification and land degradation, and projects aimed at promoting regional integration and equitable, sustainable and shared water resources. The end goal is to ensure peace and security in increasingly vast areas of the world characterized by water scarcity. (9Colonne)
