Chairman of National Water Resources Committee Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing addresses World Water Day 2024
Nay Pyi Taw March 22
World Water Day 2024 was observed at MICC-II here this morning, addressed by Chairman of National Water Resources Committee Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Present were SAC Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo, SAC members, union ministers, the Nay Pyi Taw Council chair, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in- Chief, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, deputy ministers, permanent secretaries, directors general, principals and rectors colleges and universities, guests and officials.
Region/state chief ministers attended the ceremony through video conferencing.
First the Senior General and attendees enjoyed the song sung by vocalist Than Myat Soe.
In his address, the Senior General said water as a natural resource is the basic requirement for farming business and life. Safe and clean water supports health, and in addition, it benefits the environment.
Hence, clean water is a requisite for health and fitness for all.
As an awareness campaign for the countries to use water sparingly and everyone’s access to safe and secure water, World Water Day is observed on 22 March every year. The annual celebration of the Day started in 1993. A theme for the World Water Day is set, focusing on special information about water every year, and this year’s theme is “Leveraging Water for Peace”.
Global water crisis is one of the crucial challenges mankind is facing. According to the UN, over two billion people are not accessible to safe water, and another over four billion are facing water shortage at least one month per year. Climate change and human actions are hurting water resources and the natural environment, and water resources are dwindling.
Seventy-one percent of the world’s surface is covered by water, but 97.5 percent of global water mass is sea water and only the remaining 2.5 percent is fresh water. But 68 percent of fresh water can be found on snowcapped mountains, at the poles and in the form of clouds and vapor, and they are unusable.
As only 0.5 percent of above ground water and 30.1 percent of underground water are usable, the amount available is too small. Hence, global water resources have limits.
According to a WHO study in 2022, 1.4 million people die every year of diseases caused by unclean water and sewage.
Life expectancy of another 74 million is gradually shortening.
Experts predict that there will be a 55 percent surge in global water demand in 2050. Surveys show that 3600 million people or nearly half of the global population have no proper sewage system.
Myanmar is applying effective multiple management means and adopting water policies and laws in trying to increase water supply for agriculture, extend hydropower generation, increase household use and industrial use of water supply.
Water management is an important step towards responding to the challenges of climate change, food sufficiency, poverty alleviation, protecting biodiversity, preventing water pollution, and solving water crisis. It can reach many goals. Taking the examples of international good practices Myanmar has formed the National Water Resources Committee and is preparing to enact the National Water Law that governs all the water sectors to systematically manage water related sectors.
There are 246 dams, 144 diversion dams, 72 lakes, 199 sluice gates and 219 river water pumping stations in the entire country and water is supplied to agricultural farms and households while electricity is generated in some dams.
There are a total of 390 river water supply projects that pump water from four major rivers such as the Ayeyawady, the Chindwin, Thanlwin and Sittaung and other rivers and creeks for nearly 750,000 acres of farmland. Moreover, water is supplied from 14,989 underground water pumping stations to nearly 930,000 acres of farmland.
As the agriculture sector uses the largest supply of freshwater in the country and 89 percent of freshwater is used for the sector, utilizing water resources beneficially and managing them for their sustainability has become an important sector for the country.
It can be seen that participation of youth in water governance for the future water security is very crucial. Awareness-raising campaigns to instill sustainable water governance practices in youth are also important.
Another important factor is that research has evidence that application of scientific water governance methods based on water data is of great benefit for humans and other animals.
Investing in scientific research on water can contribute to further understanding of the nature of water and tasks can be carried out more precisely in finding out ways and means for utilizing water resources and prevention of disasters related to water and decision-making in water governance. As a water resources research body has been formed in the country, efforts are being made to establish a data bank by collecting data related to water.
It is necessary to make relentless efforts to conserve water as much as possible through the cooperation of ministries and organizations, laws and technologies in accordance with the World Water Day theme, "Unleashing the Power of Water for Peace," and manage water with farsightedness.
As participation of youths in water sufficiency in the future is essential, emphasis must be placed on nurturing them and everyone is urged to cooperate in sustainable water management sectors for the appropriate use of sustainable water resources by present and future generations and the effective, beneficial and sustainable usage of water.
Then, the Senior General presented prizes to winners of the first, second and third prizes in the profession level article-writing competition marking Word Water Day 2024.
Afterward, staff from the Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems entertained the guests with a song commemorating World Water Day 2024.
Then, Vice Chairman of the National Level Water Resources Committee Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Transport General Mya Tun Oo presented prizes to winners in amateur level article-writing competition commemorating World Water Day 2024.
Afterward, the Senior General and attendees enjoyed the documentary video commemorating the World Water Day 2024 and "Loving Kindness of a Drop of Water" play presented by the Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River System and the Senior General presented an honorary flower basket and cash rewards to the performers.
Then, the Senior General and attendees posed for documentary photographs and the Senior General cordially greeted the attendees.
Afterward, the Senior General and attendees viewed the individual exhibition booths commemorating the World Water Day 2024 enthusiastically and responsible officials conducted them around the booths.