On the last day of the Budapest Water Summit (BWS) on October 11, Hungarian Foreign Minister János Martonyi stated that water should be a source of cooperation, and not of conflict. Wrapping up the Summit, János Martonyi said that it was high time to pay increased attention to the issue of the security of water supplies and also to give due priority to water management in the new UN development agenda.

The Hungarian Foreign Minister stressed that the issue of water should be defined as a distinct goal among sustainable development goals for the post-2015 period. In connection with water-triggered natural disasters, Martonyi stressed that countries cannot tackle them on their own, for disasters can only be managed through international cooperation.

János Martonyi declared that he hoped that the Budapest Water Summit had advanced the issue of water management in the international community because the world "appeared to have forgotten" about its importance during recent decades.

When evaluating the four-day Summit at the closing press conference, Minister Martonyi claimed that it had been unprecedented in generating a genuine debate about water as an issue. The summit was attended by 1,300 participants from over a hundred countries, he added.

János Martonyi pointed out that although the Summit had not succeeded in delivering a solution to all problems, the participants had agreed that a solution must be found under all circumstances. He said the Summit had adopted a statement calling for the development of a dedicated and comprehensive Sustainable Development Goal on Water.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)