DPM Tovosia attends Pacific Water Forum in Cook Islands

DPM Tovosia attends Pacific Water Forum in Cook Islands

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Mines, Energy, and Rural Electrification, Hon. Bradley Tovosia is representing Solomon Islands at the 8^th Pacific Water & Wastewater Forum and the 15^th Pacific Water & Wastewater Conference and Expo this week in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

The trilateral events happened concurrently with the theme: “Water Resilience in the Pasifika – Navigating the currents of change for a climate resilient region”.

The series of meetings focused on three key objectives including;

1. Progress on implementation of water and sanitation resilience, climate change readiness, and security in line with the targets of SDG Goal 6 and potential areas for financing the gaps in achieving the 2030 agenda.
2. The current progress of each member country’s performance under the various indicators of the annual benchmarking survey; in particular how utilities are utilizing the data for making investment decisions for resilient infrastructure and resilient communities.
3. Explore potential areas for collaboration and partnerships that support utilities

The Forum builds on previous forums to progress discussions on how to elevate the status of water and sanitation in the national, regional, and international arena.

Opening the Forum on Monday, the Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Hon. Albert Nicholas, stressed the importance of having the PWWA included in the PIF agenda in 2025 to be held in the Solomon Islands as a way of fostering collaboration and promotion of effective water and sanitation and wastewater governance at the national level and international.

PWWA is not recognized since its inception in 2015 and the PIF meeting would be an opportunity to push for its recognition.

Hon. Nicholas highlighted that Water Resilience has become an urgent global issue, concurrently with the rise of population, food production, and industrial development.

Furthermore, he said the availability of quality and sustainable water and sanitation has become increasingly difficult due to environmental degradation and climate change.

Hon. Tovosia is accompanied by the Director of Water Resources Management and Executive Personal Secretary, Mrs Margret Mana Limairadi and Officials from SIWA.

Minister Bradley Tovosia (c) flanked by Director Water Resources Richard Molea and EPS Margret Limairadi

ENDS///