In order to give strong political support for international efforts to address water and sanitation issues and to highlight the necessity to accelerate efforts to meet the MDG water and sanitation target, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and Tajikistan have organised a side event on water and sanitation in the afternoon of 24^th September 2008 at the UN Trusteeship Council Chamber on the occasion of the High Level Event on the MDGs.

We promote  a thorough commitment by all concerned to reach the water and sanitation targets. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are key characteristics as well as determinants of poverty, since the time and money needed to obtain clean water or illness resulting from a lack of water of sanitation keeps people poor. Every year 1.6 million children die of the consequences of diarrhoea, reaching the water and sanitation targets would reduce this with 0.5 million a year. Improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation will increase general health, thus for instance improving maternal health and the condition of patients with HIV/AIDS and Malaria.

Evaluating the progress made so far on the water and sanitation targets, the organisers realised that action had to be taken. Because, although drinking water is on track, some countries lag behind while the sanitation targets will be reached in 2027 if we continue in this pace.

During the side event, political statements will be made by the Heads of State and Government of the four co-organisers (Tajikistan, Japan, the Netherlands and Germany), the United Nations Secretary General and the African Union. Acknowledging the further need for strengthening efforts to implement the international decade for action “Water for Life – 2005-2015” and the efforts taken in this International Year of Sanitation,. The meeting will call for the mobilization of adequate international and national financial resources for the implementation of the national strategies and promote sector wide approaches.

The outcome of the event will be presented at the High Level Round Table discussions on the 25 of September.