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NEWS in brief

Global Highlights

CEO Water Mandate Actively Shaping Post-2015
Sustainable Development Agenda
On February 18, the President of the United Nations
General Assembly convened a special Post-2015 thematic
dialogue at UN Headquarters in New York City on
“Water, Sanitation, and Sustainable
Energy.” Opening the two-day
event, and addressing UN Member
governments from developed
and developing countries from
around the world, UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon called on
the international community to
Ban Ki-moon
work together to secure water, sanitation, and
sustainable energy for all.
In relation to water, the UN Secretary-General stated:
“We must improve water quality and the management of
water resources and wastewater. This is a matter of justice
and opportunity. That is why we launched the
CEO Water Mandate in 2007 to engage the international
business community in water and sanitation.”
Kenya makes bold moves to address climate
change risks
Many
in
East
Africa still recall the
devastating drought of
2009. In Kenya alone,
it left nearly 80% of
cattle dead in some
Dead cattle in the Kenyan drought parts of the country.
Whether linked to the
effects of global warming or not, this drought is estimated
to have cost the Kenyan economy about US $12 billion. Its
impact was most pronounced in the arid and semi-arid areas
of the country.
The story does not begin there, however: The El Niño
floods in 1997-1998 destroyed and damaged infrastructure
valued at $0.8 billion, of which only $0.12 billion was ever
replaced. The La Niña drought in 1999-2000, on the other
hand, resulted in reduced losses to the economy estimated
at US $5 billion. As East Africa’s biggest economy, Kenya
has set itself on a path to grow its economy to double-digit
rates, investing in infrastructure that will help the country
accelerate its economic
plans. Among the areas
of focus are mitigating
and adapting to the
effects of climate change
through
improved
operations, and the
long-term planning of
El Niño floods in Rhoka Village

infrastructure.
The Government of Kenya’s recognition of the complex
water situation is reflected in its Kenya Vision 2030, Medium
Term Plan (2013-2017) and the Jubilee Government’s
Manifesto.
All
three
aim
at
achieving inclusive
growth and equity
of
opportunity
between counties;
irrigating
one
million acres of land
by 2018; increasing
water storages by
2.4 billion cubic Kyeni kya Thwake sand dam and shallow well
metres;
achieving
Government’s Rural Electrification Program targets; and
increasing access rates for water and sanitation to 75%.
In one example, the Ministry of Environment