Despite the shortcomings, water remains a top priority

Last month’s commemoration of the world water day is another indicator of the how important water is with a target of 100 Percent Access to Clean Water By 2012. “Due to the major role that safe water plays towards development, Rwanda introduced the water week so that people can be reminded of the importance of water, how to maintain it and protect it,” said Dr. Albert Butare, the Minister of State in Charge of Energy and Water. And if it becomes true that all Rwandans have access to clean water as Butare pledged, it will be an impressive effort towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals’ target. Apparently most districts have achieved about 70 percent access with Nyamagabe (Southern province) at 73 percent and at this rate one does not have to be a rocket scientist to guess that by 2012 every Rwandan will have access to safe water within a very short distance. Recently development partners from Austria and the European Union (EU) launched three water canals which are expected to increase the number of people accessing clean water in Nyamagabe by 14,418. The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in New York, so that people worldwide can reflect on the importance of water and Rwanda has faithfully lived to the tradition. Poetic_african@yahoo.com