Hon. Prime Minister calls for water sanitation in all South Asian Schools by 2030

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena called on the South Asian water and sanitation experts to ensure water sanitation in all the schools in the region by 2030. He said Sri Lanka would be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG No 6) on water sanitation mush before the target year.

Addressing the Global Water Partnership – South Asia (GWP SAS) 28th Regional Council Meeting at Negombo today (Nov 9), he said Sri Lanka is determined to achieve the SDG goal 6 on ‘Water sanitation to All’ before the target year of 2030 and added that the our desire is to ensure adequate water sanitation provisions in schools as early as possible.

“While expressing my deep appreciation to all participants in the GWP SA Regional Council for their efforts, I urge them to ensure water sanitation SDG goal in all South Asian schools by 2030. I wish success to your innovative new ways of working which will enhance regional as well as global cooperation in water management,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that one need not stress the importance of water for the survival of human beings. “Conflicts on water issues are not something unfamiliar to us. 2500 years ago during the life of the Gauthama Buddha, an armed feud took place between his father’s clan, the Sakyas and his mother’s clan the Koliyas concerning the waters of the river Rohiṇī, which formed the boundary between the two states and the Buddha, the Enlightened One, had to intervene to settle the conflict,” he said.

He pointed out that the cascades village tanks system is a salient feature of water and soil management system in ancient Sri Lanka and added, “Though the system was neglected during the colonial rule, today, steps have been taken to revive these tank systems.”

“What we seek from the affluent countries is an honest commitment to finance and to share technology that are needed to address climate change and the resulting disasters,” the Prime Minister emphasised.



Following is the full speech of the Prime Minister at the Global Water Partnership – South Asia (GWP SAS) 28th Regional Council (RC) Meeting, 9 November 2022.

Laurent-Charles Tremblay-Lévesque, Network Specialist,

Ms Kusum Athukorala, Regional Chair for GWP South Asia

Representatives from South Asia

Ladies and Gentlemen,



I am glad to address this 28th Regional Council Meeting of Global Water Partnership – South Asia as it coincides with the most important environmental summit, the COP 27, in EGYPT where our country is represented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

This is also the 20th anniversary of GWP South Asia, which was established in 2002 with an ambitious plan to operationalise its vision for a Water Secure South Asia. It is heartening to note that the plan includes launching new initiatives on gender equality and Network strengthening, as well as building on our existing programmes on water preservation and water management, and climate resilience through water.

Conflicts on water issues are not something unfamiliar to us. 2500 years ago during the life of the Gauthama Buddha, an armed feud took place between his father’s clan, the Sakyas and his mother’s clan the Koliyas concerning the waters of the river Rohiṇī, which formed the boundary between the two states and the Buddha, the Enlightened One, had to intervene to settle the conflict.

One need not stress the importance of water for the survival of human beings. Looking out of the windows when you see the torrential rains, you might think this beautiful country has no water issues, but the experts are well aware of our periodic floods, droughts, landslides and other natural disasters we face from time to time. The current weather vagaries too resulted due to global climate warming, which has affected almost every nation.

I am confident that the participants of this 28th meeting of Global Water Partnership South Asia regional council will exchange views and formulate plans to enhance regional cooperation in this vital area.

In Sri Lanka, the practice of construction of storage reservoirs for irrigation and domestic water requirements had been in practice since early as 500BC. Thousands of reservoirs varying in sizes were constructed in cascading arrangement for the purpose of irrigation and domestic water requirements. The cascades village tanks system is a salient feature of water and soil management system in ancient Sri Lanka.

Though the system was neglected during the foreign rule, today, steps have been taken to revive these tank systems.

With climate finance still scarce, climate adaptation in the form of early warning dissemination is key to safeguarding lives and livelihoods from cascading natural hazards causing substantial losses around the world.

However, I wish to point out that there is an urgent need to acknowledge the cascading natural hazards that cause substantial losses around the world.

In devastating natural disasters, a small country could lose almost their national income in a few days. Such instances could have devastating consequences in countries that do not have sufficient means to cope with them.

What we seek from the affluent countries is an honest commitment to finance and to share technology that are needed to address climate change and the resulting disasters.

There is no doubt about the commonality of problems on water related in South Asian countries and I wish to emphasise on this occasion we must look for the commonality of solutions.

I am glad to note that GWP promotes Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) based on the Dublin Rio Principles that focuses on the role of women and Water. In any calamity, drought, floods etc. the most affected are the women. We can see women carrying earthen pots and walk long distances to collect water from rivers, tanks or community wells. There is an imperative need to bring solutions to the issues of water scarcity during prolong droughts.

In Sri Lanka we have launched programmes to implement to national objective of ‘Water for All’. I am pleased to say that we were able to rapidly develop our organisational capacity, skills, and tools to carry out these plans successfully, with most planned activities continuing and substantial results being achieved despite the unexpected hurdles like Covid pandemic and the unprecedented economic crisis, which caused financial constraints.

Sri Lanka is determined to achieve the SDG goal 6 on ‘Water sanitation to All’ before the target year of 2030 and our desire is to ensure adequate water sanitation provisions in schools as early as possible. While expressing my deep appreciation to all participants in the GWP SA Regional Council for their efforts, I urge them to ensure water sanitation SDG goal in all South Asian schools by 2030. I wish success to your innovative new ways of working which will enhance regional as well as global cooperation in water management.

Before concluding, it is earnest to mention that soon Youth, those below 35 years of age will consists two-thirds (2/3) of almost 2 Billion people living in South Asia, and naturally half (1/2) of them are women.

No doubt they will have to manage smarter on the growing demands of Water, especially with regards to Sanitation. Therefore, I wish to invite even more socio-economic programs and actions targeting the Youth and Women at all counts.

Pali stanza ’Devo Wassatu Kalena’ wishes may dewas bring down rains in due season!

Sri Lanka will harvest all of it in more than 40,000 wewas or man built reservoirs, to achieve Water Security for our Nation. and we wish to invite all of you from our friendly neighborhood to join hands.

As once said by King Parakrmabahu the Great, one of our rulers in ancient day, "no drop of rain water will be released to the sea without putting it to good use".

Thank you.