Minister Hakeem at South Asian sanitation confab

April 26, 2024

Development - Provincial

Minister Hakeem at South Asian sanitation confab

April 19, 2018

City Planning and Water Supply Minister Rauff Hakeem who represented Sri Lanka at the 7th South Asian Conference on Sanitation held in Islamabad, Pakistan, said that the country was able to achieve much of the MDG goals well ahead of time

“In that regard our country is indeed quite pleased that we were able to achieve the previous set of goals under the MDGs. We were even able to achieve our targets well ahead of time and we are also in the process of achieving the sanitation targets. By the time we meet in Delhi we will be able to report to you that we have achieved our target by that year,” he said at the closing ceremony.

Minister further added that it is indeed a pleasure for us to conclude another SACOSAN summit here in Islamabad. We look forward to SACOSAN 8 in Delhi. In the meantime all of us, member countries are going through our experiences and achievements in meeting with the sustainable development goals in particular Goal No. 6.2 that relates to safety managed sanitation.

In that regard our country is indeed quite pleased that we were able to achieve the previous set of goals under the MDGs we were even able to achieve our targets well ahead of the time and we are also in the process to achieve the sanitation targets perhaps hopefully 100% target hopefully by the time we meet in Delhi we will be able to report to you that we have achieved 100% target by that year. Having said that it is indeed a matter of pride for all of us that we have taken into consideration all vulnerabilities that marginalize communities of our countries are facing in achieving particularly in such varied manners and we are looking at every marginalized citizens of our own countries and indeed it is a matter of pride for all of us that we look at the dignity of our girl child in all our communities in trying to promote the menstrual hygiene by accommodating achieving their targets taking into considerations all of them as important members of our societies. So we have many achievements to report including even achievements regarding safety managed sanitation of our indigenous communities in our own countries.

It is indeed a matter of happiness and pride for all of us that we are able to come out with another declaration in Islamabad and we would soon be in a position to reach the goals that we have set ourselves through that the friendship and accommodation in hosting this function in an entertaining manner of our governments. Our governments have been wanting a headquarters somewhere and our government last year pledged to host this center in Kandy and all of you by the time when we meet in Delhi in 2020 will have a permanent abode for the SACOSAN community. .