Mia said ahead of the address that access to clean water is an essential service to every citizen across the globe and it is a basic but important human right which Malawi requires most now that ever before.

Mia, who is also parliamentarian for Chikwawa Nkombezi, said this in an interview in New York where she is representing President Lazarus Chakwera at the conference.

"Water, as they say, is life and therefore without clean water, there is no life and this is the reason why I would like to urge the developed countries, the international aid organisations and investors in water and sanitation related projects to assist Malawi with resources so that every citizen in every corner of the country access clean water," she says.

The appeal comes at a time people in Southern Malawi face the devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy which include increased challenges of access to clean and potable water.

Mia is asking developed countries and organisations to help Malawi guarantee citizen to access clean water.

"Cyclone Freddy which has ravaged the southern part of the country will present huge problems in terms of access to clean water and sanitation. Many people lost their lives and many people have been displaced, lost homes and lavatories.

"They lost everything. All they need now is clean water and a well sanitised environment. Without clean water and sanitation we risk having a serious outbreak of Cholera. We need help," pleaded Mia.

Mia said while the Malawi government is doing all it can to help people affected by Freddy get back to their two feet, the country is overwhelmed and needs external help.

The count for the dead in the natural disaster is presently at 500 with over 475 people missing and approximately 345,000 people are affected by the unprecedented heavyrains, floods and landslides.

Over 350 shelter camps have been set up across the country.

Mia was the first cabinet minister in the commercial city of Blantyre to respond to the disaster with various forms of assistance to survivors.

Water and sanitation flow through every aspect of sustainable development and access to these essential services are human rights.

Water is also at the heart of adaptation to climate change, serving as the crucial link between climate system, human society and the environment.

"Without proper water governance, there is likely to be increased competition for water between sectors and an escalation of water crises of various kinds, triggering emergencies in a range of water-dependent sectors," she observed.

Non-governmental organizations, civil society, the academia, scientists, the private sector, philanthropists and others were asked to contribute proposals for the themes of the interactive dialogues through a global online consultation.

The New York conference will take place at UN Headquarters 22-24 March 2023, co-hosted by Tajikistan and the Netherlands.