State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic Martin Kováč participated in the largest UN Conference on Water since 1977

UN Conference on Water, which took place in 22-24 March 2023 at the UN headquarters in New York, USA, was a historic moment for the comprehensive evaluation and acceleration of the implementation of the sixth goal of the UN in the field of sustainable development, which is to ensure universal and equitable access to drinking water and sanitation. The conference was attended by more than 10,000 participants, including world leaders, representatives of civil society, entrepreneurs, scientists and academics. The output of the conference is more than 700 commitments (Voluntary Commitments) summarized in the document entitled Water Action Agenda.

The Slovak delegation at the UN Water Conference was led by Ján Budaj, Minister of the Environment of the Slovak Republic, and the alternate leader of the delegation was Martin Kováč, State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic.

On the occasion of the conference, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of the Slovak Republic prepared a white book (Water for Climate Healing – A New Water Paradigm White Paper), which provides information on the functioning of the water cycle and also expert recommendations on how to restore the water cycle, through the restoration of small water cycles on the continents. The material is based on scientific research, engineering and practical experience over three decades, practically verified both in Slovakia and abroad.

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, Martin Kováč, spoke in two interactive dialogues entitled Water for sustainable development: water valuation, water-energy-food connection/nexus, Action Decade for Water and at the UNCCD side event entitled "Drought Resilience and sustainable land management'.

In his contributions, he particularly highlighted key solutions for stopping the drying of continents, the rise of ocean levels and the return of lost water to the country for the fulfillment of ecosystem services through functional small water cycles. "By ecosystem retention of rainwater in the country, we restore water resources, protect the population from floods and droughts, increase soil fertility through carbon storage in the soil, strengthen biodiversity, strengthen the local economy and increase the production of food, biomass and moderate weather fluctuations with a decrease in average temperatures," stated M. Kováč. At the same time, he emphasized that the acquired knowledge must be reflected in the systemic policy of soil, water protection and financing of ecosystem services in the country.

STATE held several bilateral meetings with the President of the UN General Assembly, Csab Kőrösi, the Advisor to the Prime Minister of Romania for Sustainable Development, László Borbély, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, Andrea Meza, and the Director of the FAO Soil and Water Division, Li Lifeng.