Cyprus, Singapore and United Arab Emirates
Open Working Group on Sustainable Development- 10th Session
31 March- 4 April 2014
Cyprus-Singapore-United Arab Emirates
Tuesday April 1, 2014
Talking points
Thank you Mr. Chair for giving me the floor. As mentioned Ι am speaking on behalf of the Troika of Cyprus, and the UAE on the focus areas of Water and Sanitation, as well as Sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition
In the interest of time I will be very concise and targeted in my statement
On Water and sanitation
• We should aim at taking MDG target on water and sanitation a step further, therefore action area (a) should seek to ensure not just access but an equitable universal access to safe and affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation. It is also crucial together with women and girls to add children
• Action areas b, g, j and k can be developed as indicators of selected targets
• For action area c, we would like to see improving wastewater treatment and not just extending
• We support action area d on water -use efficiency including efficiency of water production and use, as potential water target for it captures the nexus approach of water-energy-food-land and its implementation can contribute at the same time to the attainment of several other SDGs.
• We would also like to see a potential target to significantly reduce water pollution and increase water quality
On Sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition
• In the chapeau of this focus area we would like to better balance the 3 dimensions. Therefore we would like to add at the end of the paragraph and after the word hunger the phrase :
o " while protecting ecosystems and biodiversity"
• The need to end hunger which was addressed in MDG1, should be better highlighted under this focus area
• A number of action areas can be developed as indicators of selected targets like action areas d, e and k
• For action area c, it is necessary to increase agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner
• We would also like to see a separate target with corresponding indicators on land degradation, drought and desertification
• In action area j, rural communities should also be added, as a significant portion of the world's poor live in rural areas and
• Aquaculture which is an important component of sustainable agriculture should also be included in one of the action areas
Thank you Mr. Chair
31 March- 4 April 2014
Cyprus-Singapore-United Arab Emirates
Tuesday April 1, 2014
Talking points
Thank you Mr. Chair for giving me the floor. As mentioned Ι am speaking on behalf of the Troika of Cyprus, and the UAE on the focus areas of Water and Sanitation, as well as Sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition
In the interest of time I will be very concise and targeted in my statement
On Water and sanitation
• We should aim at taking MDG target on water and sanitation a step further, therefore action area (a) should seek to ensure not just access but an equitable universal access to safe and affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation. It is also crucial together with women and girls to add children
• Action areas b, g, j and k can be developed as indicators of selected targets
• For action area c, we would like to see improving wastewater treatment and not just extending
• We support action area d on water -use efficiency including efficiency of water production and use, as potential water target for it captures the nexus approach of water-energy-food-land and its implementation can contribute at the same time to the attainment of several other SDGs.
• We would also like to see a potential target to significantly reduce water pollution and increase water quality
On Sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition
• In the chapeau of this focus area we would like to better balance the 3 dimensions. Therefore we would like to add at the end of the paragraph and after the word hunger the phrase :
o " while protecting ecosystems and biodiversity"
• The need to end hunger which was addressed in MDG1, should be better highlighted under this focus area
• A number of action areas can be developed as indicators of selected targets like action areas d, e and k
• For action area c, it is necessary to increase agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner
• We would also like to see a separate target with corresponding indicators on land degradation, drought and desertification
• In action area j, rural communities should also be added, as a significant portion of the world's poor live in rural areas and
• Aquaculture which is an important component of sustainable agriculture should also be included in one of the action areas
Thank you Mr. Chair