The UN on Thursday launched a new mechanism, call Global Acceleration Framework to accelerate efforts to enable people have access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.
The mechanism has been developed by more than 30 UN entities and 40 international organizations, Vatican Radio reported.
It lays down strategies to provide more efficient and coordinated support to countries to ensure global availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres during the launch of the initiative underscored the importance of water in helping achieve almost all of the other 16 Sustainable Development Goals.
He said it is essential for global health, food security, resilience to climate change, and is critical to UN efforts in peace, security, human rights and development.
Guterres called for resilient and sustainable water-related ecosystems and safe water supply and sanitation services to prevent and contain this and future pandemics.
The UN estimates more than two billion people worldwide still do not have access to safely managed drinking water, while 4.2 billion lack safely managed sanitation.