Top government leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region gathered in Yangon today to attend the 3rd Asia-Pacific Water Summit. The two-day Summit, which will explore the theme, “Water Security for Sustainable Development”, is hosted by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, in cooperation with the Asia-Pacific Water Forum.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Summit today, Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, affirmed Myanmar’s commitment to achieving regional water security, according to the State Counsellor’s office.  She highlighted that whilst Myanmar has abundant water resources and considerable hydropower potential, it suffers from a number of water-related challenges, including uneven rainfall distributions and the impacts of climate change.
Protecting Myanmar’s clean water supplies is one of the government’s top priorities. Shortly after taking office, the government relaunched the National Water Resources Committee (NWRC) to spearhead these efforts. The Committee has released a national water framework directive, and with the assistance of the World Bank, the Committee is now drafting the Myanmar National Water Law, which will soon enter the public consultation process.
At the opening ceremony of the Summit, remarks were also given by Vice President Henry Van Thio, Chairman of the NWRC. In his address, he highlighted the importance of integrated water resource management across the Asia-Pacific region and urged all key, water-related Ministries to work together in finding solutions for more efficient water utilisation.
The 3rd Asia-Pacific Water Summit will conclude tomorrow in a Yangon Declaration, uniting government leaders and water experts in a shared vision for achieving water security in the region.