The Rwanda Minister for Natural Resources Stanislas Kamannzi has asked youth to be ambassadors of water sanitation and to ensure that all african water bodies are properly managed to serve not only present generations but also future generations.
The Minister was addressing the 2nd East Africa Young Water professional conference held in Kigali.
“They are meeting to reflect on how they can contribute to the proper management of water resources on African continent” The Minister explained.
Minister Kamanzi added that meeting in Rwanda is showing trust that the International community appreciates what Rwanda does in water resources management.
Throughout Presentations, water managers revealed that African waters are facing different challenges and this led to the realization that water resources can no longer be taken for granted and need to be managed properly and adapted to climate change.
Commenting on Rwanda’s role in managing water resources, Stanislas Kamanzi said that Rwanda has taken different measures to ensure that all Rwandans are having access to safe water.
“I would say that we have gone significant way. Our aim is to have a hundred percent of people having safe water and today we are remaining with 25% and government has set different measures to make sure that by 2015 all people have access to safe water” Kamanzi said .
In several countries, most notably in East Africa, more than a quarter of the population spends more than half an hour per round trip to fetch water.
However on the side of Rwanda, Minister Kamanzi noted that 500 meters to get to a water point is very far adding that the ambition is to reduce so that a bigger percentage of people having safe water are increased.
“When we talk about sanitation, we want everyone to have sanitation facilities within their home” He said.
Rwanda’s economic and population growth, rapid urbanization and its limited land resources have made the Government of Rwanda aware of the need to manage its water resources in terms of sustainable use, allocation, equitable distribution, quality and quantity.
Youth who are gathered in Kigali for a three day workshop will have an opportunity to share expertise in solving water challenges in their respective countries.
More than 20 countries of Africa are represented.
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