The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the sixth of which is "Clean Water and Sanitation", namely: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.  (Click here for details)

Under this major goal, there are eight targets, the seventh of which is "By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies".

● Current Situation

About the World

UN Calls for More Investment in Water and Sanitation

There are still about 2.2 billion people in the world have no access to safe drinking water for a long time, accounting for one third of the total population. Nearly 4.2 billion people in the world do not have safe health facilities, accounting for more than half of the total population. Another two billion people do not have decent toilets for independent use. Under the background of COVID-19, there are still 3 billion people around the world who lack basic washing facilities. 

On 18 March, 2021, the UN General Assembly held a high-level meeting to discuss how to implement the SDG6 Water and Sanitation in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. President Volkan Bozkir of the UN General Assembly said that the recovery after the epidemic must become the turning point of the decade of action of the "sustainable development goals". The international community must pay attention to sustainable and integrated water management, and call on all countries to provide more financial support and increase investment in capacity-building in the field of water use and sanitation in the process of recovery after the epidemic.

Text and photo source: un.org

About China

Chinese Power in Global Development 

Photo source: biying.com

In the new era, China's international development cooperation has carried out activities and programs related to water and sanitation, led by promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, with richer spiritual connotation, clearer goal direction and more vitality in action and practice. Guided by the concept of a community of shared future for mankind and correct concept of justice and benefit, China has actively carried out international development cooperation within its ability for Chinese power in global development.

Text source: gmw.cn

●  Cases

About the World

FAO Monitoring Agricultural Water Productivity by Satellite

Drought and extreme weather become more and more frequent due to climate change, resulting in increasing use of water resources  and reducing the available water resources in agriculture. 

Photo source: baidu.com

In April 2017, the FAO launched a new open database "Wapor" through the 10 million USD programme funded by the Dutch government, covering the entire Africa and Near East region. The programme focused on the major countries with physical or infrastructure water shortage with the purpose of tracking and measuring agricultural water use efficiency. The database can use real-time satellite data to help farmers in water shortage countries obtain more reliable agricultural output and optimize irrigation systems.

Text source: un.org

Clean Water Project in Nigeria

Most of Nigeria's water supply comes from surface water. Although groundwater is also one of the important drinking water sources, the poor geological conditions in Nigeria make it very difficult to develop groundwater. In rural areas of Nigeria, the water sources used by local residents mainly come from streams, ditches, lakes and wells, but most of them are untreated. 

Photo source: un.org

Many international aid organizations help Nigeria with water disinfection. The United Nations Children's Fund, the United States Agency for International Development and the Water Aid Association provide resources and education for local residents to have access to clean drinking water. These international organizations establish sustainable clean water supply facilities in local communities, strengthen the popularization and publicity of clean water, sanitation and environmental protection knowledge, and improve the utilization rate and sanitation level of community water resources.

Text source: cbcgdf.org

About China

Built Technical Training Centre for Developing Countries

In recent years, China's scientific and technological innovation has attracted the attention of the international community. The technical training course for developing countries sponsored by China has increasingly become a beautiful brand for China to expand its opening up and carry out mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, so that China's scientific and technological innovation can benefit all mankind.

Photo source: biying.com

The international training course on rainwater storage and utilization technology sponsored by China provides technical training for students in arid areas of Kenya and other African countries. The water cellar for rainwater storage has been popularized in the local area, which has significantly improved the life of local residents.

In 2011, China set up a foreign aid training base for dry farming agricultural technology in Yangling, Shaanxi Province. By the end of 2018, the base had undertaken 12 foreign aid human resources training projects of the Ministry of science and technology, with more than 230 trainees from more than 40 countries participating in the training, covering water-saving irrigation, soil and water conservation, comprehensive environmental management and other technologies.

Text source: thepaper.cn

China Helped Cote d'Ivoire with Water Supply Project 

In September 2020, China aided the construction of 12 water supply projects in Ivory Coast, with a total investment of about 2.06 billion yuan. The project was financed by preferential loans provided by the Export Import Bank of China and undertaken by China Geological Engineering Group Co., Ltd. The project includes a new water intake station, a water treatment plant, a surface reservoir, a high-level water tower, a water delivery pipe network, etc., as well as the renovation of some of the original water plants.

The 12 city water supply project is one of the important projects within the framework of the "drinking water for all" plan formulated by the Ivorian government. After completion, it will greatly improve the living and water supply conditions of 12 cities in 12 regions of the country, including bouffrey City, benefiting about 2.34 million people.

Text and photo source: bjd.com.cn

●  Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On 1 January, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.