Minister Pemmy Majodina Supports Just Water Partnerships At UN Assembly

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina welcomed the Just Water Partnerships (JWPs) initiative that promotes investments in water resilience and sustainability in low- and middle-income countries.

During a panel discussion on Wednesday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Minister emphasized the importance of partnerships in the water sector to ensure everyone has access to clean and fresh water.

"As the government of South Africa, we support a growing cohort of partners who are interested in developing the concept of Just Water Partnerships," Majodina said, SA News reported.

She added, "We also believe that carefully and collaboratively structured JPWs can protect existing water resources and will leave no one behind regarding the provision of water and sanitation services, and ensure that water supplies are managed sustainably."

The JWPs concept was created after a report from the Global Commission for the Economics of Water (GCEW), which pointed out that traditional economics have not helped the water sector.

It suggested that a new approach to the economics and management of water is needed to achieve a more sustainable, fair, and prosperous future for everyone.

JWPs are designed as platforms that connect financial and governance organizations, such as multilateral development banks, regional development banks, development finance institutions, national governments, city and local authorities, and public development banks.

These platforms aim to support investments on their balance sheets and encourage more private financing.

The minister noted that the JPW concept reflects the Department of Water and Sanitation's commitment to creating public-private partnerships that ensure clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene are available to everyone in the country.

Majodina noted that this is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 6.1 and 6.2, which aim to provide universal and fair access to safe and affordable drinking water for everyone, ensure access to adequate sanitation and hygiene, and eliminate open defecation.

"Therefore, this confirms a need for such a platform to not only ensure that investments are used efficiently and transparently, but also in a way that prioritizes women, girls and others facing marginalization globally," the minister added.

Last week, Majodina urged municipalities in the Free State to speed up plans to ensure water supply during the upcoming shutdown of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) tunnel, which is scheduled from Oct. 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.