"Water must be respected because it is the basic source of life"

"Water. Without it, there is no life. It can bring peace, or a lack of it can lead to wars. That is why Slovenia, also as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, joins this year's global theme on World Water Day: Water for peace.

Everyone has the right to clean drinking water, including civilians in armed conflict. This right is too often violated, as we are sadly seeing today in Gaza. Contrary to international humanitarian law, water in modern conflicts can be targeted, used as a weapon, and is increasingly the cause of conflict. Slovenia is therefore working in the Security Council for more action by the international community to achieve better protection of water resources and water infrastructure in armed conflicts, with respect for international humanitarian law.

Drinking water is by no means a given, as its supply and quality are not unlimited or permanent. It is estimated that more than two billion people in the world do not have access to drinking water. Solidarity, responsible management and access to water supply as a basic commodity of civilisation are therefore urgently needed at the international level. Our country is one of the few countries where the human right to water is enshrined in the Constitution.

In October, Slovenia will take over the Presidency of the United Nations Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. Since December last year, we have also held the Presidency of the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution.

Last year's devastation caused by the storms in our country should serve as a lesson to us that more will have to be invested in adaptation rather than in recovery. Flood recovery offers us the opportunity to adopt a sustainable approach, so that we are best able to counter the power of our waters in the future with well-designed adaptation measures.

Water must be respected because it is the basic source of life. This means preserving aquatic ecosystems and managing water sustainably, preventing water pollution and raising awareness about the importance of water for all life forms."