Leaders endorse Chiang Mai Declaration on regional water security

CHIANG MAI, May 21 (TNA) - The curtain has come down for the 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Thailand's northern Chiang Mai province, set from May 14-20, with participating national leaders adopting the Chiang Mai Declaration on the leadership and commitment to achieve water security in the region. The 13-point Chiang Mai Declaration also indicates the national leaders' agreement on regional cooperation on water management to cope with water-related disasters, as they recognize that the Asian Pacific region is a most natural disaster-prone region in the world. Besides, the Chiang Mai Declaration underlines the participating leaders’ awareness that adverse impacts of climate change or the global warming problem can cause economic and social damages, including the loss of lives in the region. The national leaders also agreed on integral actions and shared technologies to achieve sustainable management of water resources, to minimize the adverse impacts of water-related disasters and to strengthen partnership between the public sector and all other stakeholders in water-resource management. The regional leaders called for joint actions by relevant agencies in Asia and the Pacific to study impacts from climate change and water-related disasters on regional economies, as well as to promote green economic growth and to develop a water database system in the region. National leaders of nine states, ministers and senior officials from 37 countries, as well as representatives of national and international organizations attended the 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit to discuss solutions to water issues and related challenges in the region. Thailand was praised by the regional leaders attending the summit for its water-related development projects, particularly those initiated by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. (TNA)