The UN Water Summit will address the sustainability of the Canal

Administrator from Panama Canal, Ricaurte Vásquezwill participate this week in United Nations (UN) Conference on Waterwhich will be held in New York, United States of America.

The activity is part of the activities carried out to make the organization’s strategies visible with the aim of guaranteeing the availability of this resource for the next 50 years, as well as the commitment and efforts Channel sustainable management of water resources.

This summit, in which he will participate world leaders, rulers, ministers and officials from various countriesit was officially opened on Wednesday, March 22, when World Water Day is also celebrated.

The event will contribute to the creation of a “bold water action plan, which delivers this vital element of our planet the commitment it deserves,” the UN pointed out.

“He Panama Canal, which runs on fresh water, is a critical connection point in global supply chains. Also, it is the only canal that, in addition to guaranteeing its daily operation, has the responsibility of maintaining the availability of water to supply more than 50% of the national population. Therefore, the handling and management of water resources is a strategic issue for us, and this experience makes us an international benchmark in this matter. It is not enough for the Channel to be a strategic step in the service of world trade; our commitment lies in being a world leader in sustainable connectivity,” stated Administrator Vásquez.

In that sense, World Commission on Water Economics published the day before UN summit, a report stating that by 2030, global demand for fresh water will exceed supply by 40%. The authors of the report call for a revision of the practice of water use in the world.

The study ensures that it is necessary to start managing topic of this resource as a global common good, since the majority countries It is somewhat dependent on its neighbors for water supply.

Vásquez mentioned that Panama “It is an economy whose success is directly linked to the availability of water and therefore climate change is a key issue for the country.”

The administrator assured that management and handling water resource are increasingly recognized as one of the key elements of adaptation to climate change, and Kanal is a fundamental player in the efforts made in this direction.

“We have a strong socio-ecological plan for protection Hydrographic basin of the Panama Canalwhich includes the participation of the inhabitants of this region, which we support, so that they can optimize their production activities, so that they are friendly to the environment, improve the quality of life and become guardians of these spaces and, at the same time, of water resources”, explained Vásquez.