SA, Denmark continue to strengthen relations

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) continues its concerted efforts to strengthen international relations and ensure safe and reliable water. In an effort to build good new relations that will ultimately benefit citizens of South Africa, Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu has welcomed the new Denmark Ambassador to South Africa, Elsebeth Sondergaard Krone and new Water and Research Counsellor, Tine Anbæk. Krone's career as a diplomat spans over 20 years of experience in the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has held several positions, including Head of Department for Green Diplomacy and Climate, Head of Global Cooperation at the Danish Energy Agency, and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Denmark in Jakarta, Indonesia. In her new role, Krone is responsible for promoting and strengthening relations between Denmark and South Africa. She will also work to increase cooperation in political affairs, economic development, climate change, and renewable energy. Welcoming Krone during a meeting held in Waterkloof, Pretoria this week, Mchunu noted that the relationship between the department and Denmark, has grown over the years. 'I can already tell that with you at the helm, it will grow even stronger. We have a lot more work to do regarding water, and part of my main focus is water infrastructure, constructing, refurbishing, and maintaining. 'We also want to attract investment to meet our Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS). I hope that this introduction will allow us to explore other programmes and to intensify working relations well past Phase 3," Mchunu said. According to the United Nations Development Programme, the SDGs which were adopted by the United Nations in 2015, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Krone echoed the Minister's sentiments, emphasising the importance of ensuring that the programmes and goals align. "It is important to have a continuous dialogue on technical day-to-d ay running of programmes, as well as long-term relations between the two countries. It is paramount to keep each other in the loop and to do things that will have an impact," Krone said. Cooperation Last year, the department and Denmark entered into another agreement of cooperation in innovation and management of water services. The DWS, the Danish Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Higher Education and Science (MHES), the Department of Science and Innovation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through their Danish Embassy, signed a three-year agreement for Phase 3 of the collaboration on behalf of the Republic of South Africa and Denmark's Strategic Sector Cooperation (SSC). Phase 3 aims to further strengthen long-term relations between the department and Denmark's MHES and Science and Innovation. The agreement will run from May 2023 to April 2026 and consists of five parts, including Water Services Management, Groundwater, Water Efficiency in Industries, Research and Innovation, and a Project Sup port Facility focusing on investment planning and financing for water-related projects. Source: South African Government News Agency