Hungary supports efforts to make water management and sanitation priorities among United Nations development goals in the post-2015 period, Minister of Foreign Affairs János Martonyi said at the UN General Assembly session in New York.

Hungary will host a global Water Summit on October 8-11, which representatives from over 100 countries and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon are expected to attend, he told the Assembly on 30 September 30 2013. The Summit will adopt recommendations for post-2015 development goals, which are an extension of the Millenium Goals adopted in 2000, and will also approve the Budapest Declaration, containing the adopted recommendations and goals, Martonyi said.

"Hungary hopes that the declaration, as a summarising document, will greatly contribute to the discussions on sustainable development goals," he said.

Minister Martonyi thanked UN Member States for their support on Hungary hosting the summit and co-chairing a working group on the development goals. Hungarians have expertise in flood control, drinking-water protection, waste-water management and irrigation, among other areas, which they will share at the summit, he said.

Budapest will host forums on current issues of science, youth and civil organisations on the sidelines of the summit and there will be a business forum as well as one on humanitarian goals.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)