The theme of this year’s World Water Day is ‘‘Water and Sustainable Development.’’

As Canada’s Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, I believe that this theme perfectly captures the intrinsic link between water and development.

Water. It is fundamental to life.

Globally, half the world still lacks access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. Polluted water contributes to malnutrition. It also increases the risk of anemia, which is a major cause of maternal mortality.

Although significant results have been achieved—including meeting the Millennium Development Goal target for drinking water—there remains more work to be done.

Canada has been a leader in UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools for Girls (WIN/WASH) program and has contributed significantly to scaling up innovative low-cost technologies that are helping millions of people access safe drinking water.

An example of this is the work being done by the Calgary-based Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology to scale up initiatives such as the biosand filter, which is helping more than 4.1 million people in 55 developing countries to improve their access to safe drinking water.

Canada is also proud to be the host country for the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, and to help resolve pressing global water problems.

Canada stands with its partners in supporting access to water for sustainable development. On World Water Day, let us celebrate the successes achieved and work together as a global community to ensure global access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

Christian Paradis
Minister of International Development and La Francophonie

Media Relations Office 
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
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