Universal Access to Water and Sanitation: A Challenge for the Region

(Panama, June 10, 2013).- According to available data, 25 percent of Latin America's urban population receives precarious drinking water services or lacks access to them altogether, whereas an even higher percentage does not receive appropriate sanitation services. Most cities show significant deficiencies in terms of rainwater drainage infrastructure as well as growing environmental degradation, which has indirect incidence in water sources' sanitary protection, human health and the population's quality of life.

 

For this reason, and with the goal of creating a regional dialogue space on equity and social inclusion policies in the urban environment of drinking water and sanitation, CAF -development bank of Latin America- presented in Panama City the second issue of "Reflections on Social and Environmental Policy" ("Reflexiones sobre Política Social y Ambiental"), on this occasion devoted to the water sector, entitled Equity and Social Inclusion in Latin America: Universal Access to Water and Sanitation.

 

In order to promote a dialogue on policies and programs the region can pursue to further these goals, CAF hosted regional and local referential figures on the matter in Panama, and discussed from different perspectives their experience on issues related to the universalization of drinking water and sanitation services.

 

During the meeting, Panama Finance Minister Frank De Lima highlighted the importance of universal access to basic services and explained the considerable efforts the government is making in order to attain that goal. "There is a high level of inequality in Panama and in order to continue reducing those differences, it will be necessary to continue with the investment plan in education and public health especially focused on underprivileged families."

 

Minister De Lima said, "to achieve these goals, CAF has supported Panama's Government in financing projects that contribute to social development, including the overhaul of municipal waterworks and the cleanup of the Panama Bay."

 

CAF Executive Vice President Luis Enrique Berrizbeitia said, "countries have achieved substantial progress in the supply of water and sanitation services in the last decade. The boost to the Millennium Development Goals and investments in the environment's protection have contributed substantially [to this]." He added, "even so, we need a comprehensive view that includes water resources, water services and sanitation, urban development, the environment's protection and climate change impact."

 

In regard to some of the report's recommendations, Berrizbeitia said that "investing the equivalent of 3 percent of regional GDP and with improvements in sector governance, drinking water and sewage universalization is possible, which is an important challenge for a substantial improvement in Latin Americans' quality of life."

 

Book co-authors José Antonio Ocampo, former Colombia Finance Minister and former ECLAC Executive Secretary; Evamaría Uribe, former Colombia Residential Public Services Superintendent; and José Carrera, CAF Social Development Vice President, attended the presentation.

 

The event included a discussion about the book's main conclusions among co-authors and Panamanian high officials, including National Competitiveness Center Director Nicolás Ardito Barletta; Panama's water and sanitation agency IDAAN Executive Director Abdiel Cano, and Ciudad del Saber Executive Director Jorge Arosemena.

 

For the book's digital version please visit: publicaciones.caf.com