“It’s not every day you find an issue where effective diplomacy and development will allow you to save millions of lives, feed the hungry, empower women, advance our national security interests, protect the environment, and demonstrate to billions of people that the United States cares, cares about you and your welfare. Water is that issue.”
--Secretary Of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
March 22, 2010
By 2025, as much as two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water-stressed conditions where water becomes an impediment to health, peace, and socio-economic development. Statistics like this one make water one of the largest challenges of the 21st century, a foreign policy priority, and an area in which the U.S. Department of State is actively engaged. Our strategy is founded in the belief that many countries are already, or will experience water problems, including; shortages, poor water quality, or floods, all of which increase the risk of famine, instability and state failure, and regional tensions. Water problems will also damage eco-systems, become an impediment to developing countries and generally hinder the global economy.
Water is a key cross-cutting issue, integrated across our diplomatic and development efforts. Our goal of the United States is to increase water security, ensuring that water is available when and where it is needed in a reliable and sustainable manner. We work to achieve this goal by increasing access to drinking water and sanitation, improving water resources management, optimizing the productivity of water, and mitigating tensions associated with shared waters. These efforts are supported through catalytic activities focused on building capacity, strengthening institutions, reforming policy and regulation, engaging diplomatically, investing in infrastructure and capital, employing science and technology, and leveraging new partnerships.
