Capacity development has
been identified by the United Nations as the key to achieving the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Coordinator, UN Water Working Group on SGDs,  Mr Joakim Harlin said this at the wrap up session of the UN International Annual Water Conference in Zaragoza, recently.
The conference, held from January15 to January 17, brought together stakeholders from different parts of the world to share knowledge on ways to achieve the SDGs.
The theme for this year’s event was “Water and Sustainable Development: from vision to action.”
Harlin said capacity development was a major challenge facing the sector and must be tackled to achieve the set goals for the next 15 years.
He called on stakeholders to be dedicated to the water caurse and ensure the set target would be attained in 2030.
“The water sector has capacity development problem and that entails much more than building schools and training people.
“It is a long term programme that must be sustained. It is the engine and driver to achieving the SDGs.
“Let’s make sure we get a dedicated water goal this time”, Harlin said.
Fazila Dahall, journalist, Channel Africa SABC, South Africa, said there was need to enhance the capacity of journalists in the sector across the globe.
She said more capacity building for media professionals would enable them to understand the SDGs and ensure adequate dissemination of information.
Dahall stressed that the media was a critical partner in achieving development goals in water sector.
She called on UN to partner more with the media.
She urged journalists to transmit information to the public using social and local media.
She also charged journalists to communicate to the public particularly those in the rural areas in the languages they can understand for effectiveness.