19th Meeting of the Group of Friends on Water and Peace
The 19th Meeting of the Group of Friends on Water and Peace, held on 3 July 2024 in Geneva, focused on presenting the Global Alliance to Spare Water from Armed Conflicts. This key gathering brought Member States together to address the pressing need to protect freshwater and water-related infrastructure during armed conflicts.
The meeting’s primary objective was to introduce the Global Alliance, an initiative launched in May 2024 at the UN Headquarters in New York by Slovenia, Switzerland, and the Geneva Water Hub, alongside partners such as Senegal, Panama, Costa Rica, The Philippines, Indonesia, UNICEF, and Pax for Peace. The Alliance seeks to mitigate the severe and lasting impact of conflicts on water resources, which presents significant humanitarian, environmental, and developmental challenges.
Key discussions highlighted the Alliance's mission to advocate for water protection, facilitate knowledge exchange, raise awareness, and support the implementation of international laws.
Speakers included:
- Ambassador Anita Pipan, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Slovenia to the
United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva and Chair of the
Group of Friends on Water and Peace - Ms. Laetitia Kirianoff, Head, Humanitarian Section, Permanent Mission of Switzerland
to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva and Co-
Chair of the Group of Friends on Water and Peace - Mr. Guillaume Pierrehumbert, Head, Water and Habitat Unit, International Committee of the Red Cross
- Ms. Sandra Krähenmann, Deputy Head, Policy, Research and Legal Unit, Geneva Call
- Prof. Mark Zeitoun, Director General, Geneva Water Hub
Members of the Alliance:
- Ambassador Christian Guillermet Fernández, Permanent Representative of the
Republic of Costa Rica to the United Nations Office and other international organizations
in Geneva - Ambassador Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard, Permanent Representative of the Republic
of Indonesia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva - Ambassador Coly Seck, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Senegal to the
United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva - Ambassador Carmen Ávila, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of
Panama to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva - Ms. Hazel De Wet, Deputy Director, UNICEF Geneva
The 19th Meeting reinforced the commitment to protecting water resources in conflict zones, with the Global Alliance at the forefront of this effort.
For more information on the Global Alliance to Spare Water from Armed Conflicts, please access the full report [HERE].
Join us in supporting this crucial initiative to protect water resources and ensure the safety of civilians during conflicts.
The final concept note and programme are available below.
