Opening the meeting Water and Sanitation: a shared challenge in Latin America

USPA NEWS - The King of Spain, Philip VI, presided Monday at the Casa de America in Madrid the meeting organized by the Spanish Cooperation and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) 'Water and Sanitation: a shared challenge in Latin America.'

During his speech, King said that "despite progress in recent years, millions of people in Latin America and around the world still lack access to safe water and sanitation. In Latin America and the Caribbean, traditionally priority for Spanish Cooperation, as we have seen in the recent visit of the Queen to Honduras and El Salvador, progress in these areas represent a very positive step, but not enough, despite the great efforts made to increase levels drinking water coverage in many countries."

Philip VI added that "in this sense, we must continue working to increase the quality and improvement of services that contribute to the current coverage. The water governance, planning and management systems are key to ensure the sustainability of these services." He also wanted to highlight the experience of Spain in the field of water management considering "that Spain has much to contribute in water. Not only for its successful model, but also for our public and private companies, leading worldwide , which are examples of good practice, and without forgetting the important role of the official Spanish cooperation and non-governmental organizations in our country, with a strong presence in Latin America ."

"I remind, and is proud to do that for more than 25 years we have been present in the sector of water and sanitation -and spent more than 2,000 million euros ($ 2,243.05 millions) to millions of people in more than 80 countries-; a fundamental vector of the fight against poverty by their direct influence on improving the living conditions of the population and their multiplier effect of access to development opportunities," said the monarch, and then noted that "States are challenged manage water and sanitation in an integrated manner, taking into account all factors, sharing successful experiences and considering the benefits of international cooperation in the transfer of clean technologies."

This meeting which accompanied the King, among others, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo; President of Paraguay, Horacio Cartes; Ibero-American ministers and the head of international cooperation of the European Commission, has been organized by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and was attended by the highest authorities of America America to spread the commitment of the Cooperation Fund for Water and Sanitation (FCAS).

This year, eight are met since the creation of the Cooperation Fund for Water and Sanitation (FCAS), an innovative instrument of the Spanish Cooperation has placed Spain at the forefront of donor countries through its contribution to improving access to services water and sanitation through the effective promotion of the human right to water. Since its inception, the Fund has promoted in Latin America and the Caribbean more than 66 programs in 19 countries with a total investment of 1,276 million euros ($ 1,430.85 millions). FCAS is expected to directly benefit a total of three million people, but provides a greater impact, since investment in water and sanitation is key to progress in education, health and gender equity in the region.