On 20 July 2023, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Paul Beresford-Hill made a statement on building momentum toward the SDG Summit.
In his speech, the Ambassador emphasized that the Sovereign Order of Malta places special emphasis on ensuring access to clean water and sanitation, particularly in healthcare facilities. He highlighted the alarming statistic that two billion people worldwide lack access to clean drinking water, leading to significant deaths weekly. The Order has been actively working through Malteser International to provide clean water and sanitation for over 25 years, collaborating with more than 400 agencies and working on diverse projects in different regions.
The Ambassador stressed the importance of partnership and collaboration in addressing these challenges, and that the Order has formed alliances with organizations like Mary’s Meals to address hunger and lack of education in impoverished communities. These collective efforts help to strengthen the international commitment to achieving the SDGs and bring about new innovative ideas to the forefront.
The Ambassador recently learned about the Awa Modula systems, a technology developed by the Swiss Aerial Water Company, that transforms air into clean water using condensation. This technology has the potential to produce large quantities of clean water daily, making it a vital solution in areas with water scarcity. He urged countries, NGOs, and interested parties to invest in such creative proposals and collaborate in further exploring this system.
In conclusion, the Ambassador called for the General Debate to ignite momentum and inspire action toward fulfilling the SDGs. This call to action aims to galvanize the international community into action, promoting cooperation and innovative solutions to achieve the shared vision of a sustainable and equitable world, and concluded his speech with a quote from Pope Francis: “Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing again what is good, and making a new start”.
