1. The second meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the Ministerial Process of the seventh World Water Forum will take place at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, on February 24 and 25. It will be chaired by Yun Kang-hyeon, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

◦ The World Water Forum, the largest international event held every three years to discuss ways to resolve water issues of the global community, consists of four processes -- the Thematic, Political, Regional, and Science & Technology Processes.

- The seventh World Water Forum themed “Water for Our Future” will consist of some 300 sessions, a water expo and cultural events.

2. At the second preparatory meeting, delegates from governments of 100-odd countries, international organizations and civic groups will discuss the text of the Ministerial Statement to be adopted as an outcome document of the forum’s ministerial meeting set to take place in Gyeongju on April 13. The ROK delegation to the preparatory meeting will be comprised of officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Environment and the Organizing Committee for the 7th World Water Forum.

◦ The Ministerial Statement will include a joint international message -- “clean and safe water for all,” “water for development and prosperity,” “sustainable water,” “doable implementation mechanism” and “water and science and technology” -- for resolving water issues.

3. Given that negotiations for setting the post-2015 development goals and a new climate regime are scheduled to take place in 2015, the year is a significant one for achieving sustainable development of the international community. The ROK government, as the host country of the seventh World Water Forum, will make efforts to contribute to discussions on ways to resolve issues concerning water, which is essential for sustainable development. To this end, the ROK government is seeking through a political process ways for cooperation on water issues, in dimensions of government, congress, and provincial government agencies. 

                    Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation