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Saturday, 18 March
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Regional Presentation: Europe
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Friedrich Barth, Institute for Organizational Communication, moderated
the Europe regional presentation.
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Francis Bougaire, Burkina Faso, discussed water and sanitation issues in
Africa.
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Nancy Patricia Gutiérrez Cortinez, Member of Parliament,
Colombia, noted that lack of financing and research and development
capabilities are limitations to technology access in Colombia.
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Jerone van der Sommen, Director General of the Netherlands Water
Partnership, presented the European report to Prince of Orange
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
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Youth representatives participated in the regional presentation.
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Keynote Address
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Prince of Orange Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands highlighted growing
awareness that the water crisis is a management crisis. He urged
countries to continue to take action to develop IWRM and water
efficiency plans, noting that the 2005 Johannesburg Plan of
Implementation target for these plans has passed without achievement in
many countries. Stressing that water is crucial for social and economic
development, environmental protection and security, he said the need is
not for new policies but for concrete project action. Noting that his
country has over 800 years of experience on water management issues, he
stressed the need to share experiences and knowledge.
He advocated focusing on
positive factors, including the many achievements of Global Water
Partnership (GWP), encouraged the collation of best practices, and
challenged participants to learn from the Forum's outcomes and to
use them to inspire actions and projects on the ground.
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Introduction to the Framework Theme
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Katherine Sierra, World Bank, expressed confidence in the concept of
IWRM, stressing that development that either undermines the environment or is
socially unacceptable, cannot be called development. Noting that
water-related disasters receive significantly more attention than the
world's chronic water problems, she stressed poor countries'
vulnerability and called for increased investment in water control and
development, combined with institutional development and community
involvement.
Calling for global standards of social and ecological sustainability,
she stressed the importance of innovations and increased financial
flows. She said the world's diverse conditions require creative
solutions and pledged the World Bank's support to IWRM. Noting that
all investments must be supported by robust regulatory systems and
involve all stakeholders, she identified good governance as essential.
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Implementation of IWRM in National Plans 2005
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João Bosco Senra, Brazil's Ministry of Environment, noted that in
developing its IWRM plan, Brazil focused on new approaches to water
management, including decentralization and increased public
participation.
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Gordon Young, World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), opened the
session, explaining
that several global and regional surveys measuring the extent to which
countries have incorporated IWRM plans would be presented.
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Torkil Jønch-Clausen, Denmark, chaired the session on
Implementation of IWRM in National Plans.
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Ligia Castro de Doens, National Environmental Authority of Panama
presented an overview of the Commission for Environment and Development
Strategy for Central America. She noted that outdated water laws and
sectoral, supply-side and short-term approaches have hindered water
management.
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Alberto Crespo, Water Portal of the Americas, discussed Bolivia's
1994 Popular Participation Law, emphasizing that it led to an increase
in coverage of water and sanitation. He attributed its success to
participation of stakeholders.
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Juan Carlos Valencia Vargas, Mexico's National Water Commission
(CONAGUA), provided an overview of the National Water Plan. He described
the state of water resources in Mexico, highlighting overexploitation of
aquifers, surface water pollution, and extreme hydrometeorological
events.
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Lessons Learned on Facilitating IWRM Planning
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Madiodio Niasse, GWP, highlighted Burkina Faso's national IWRM
planning process and, in particular, the formulation of its IWRM Action
Plan. He said that the process resulted in the following
recommendations: integrate IWRM into national development initiatives;
operationalize key legislation provisions; empower institutional units
responsible for IWRM; ensure genuine public participation; continue donor
support; secure budget allocations; test solutions; and showcase
achievements.
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Mike Muller, Wits University School of Public and Development
Management, said IWRM must be accepted at the water management level as
well as among global decision-makers. He encouraged: translating theory
and policy into action and outcomes; learning from earlier experiences;
incorporating the IWRM process into national development planning
cycles; and stressing water as a currency for development.
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Rachid Balafrej, on behalf of Mohamed El Yazghi, Morocco's Minister
of Environment, highlighted Moroccan experiences with IWRM planning. He
noted increased awareness at all levels of government and stressed the
need to integrate the work of different sectors and involve national
governments, finance ministries and the private sector. He also called
for increased technical training, education, and focus on conflict
resolution
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Transboundary Water Management and Regional Integration in Africa
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Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, Minister of Energy and Water Resources,
Republic of Congo, chaired the session.
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Robert Dessouassi, Niger Basin Authority, spoke about IWRM in the Nile
River Basin, involving nine countries working together under the Nile
River Basin Authority.
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Madeleine de Grandmaison, International Network of Basin Organizations
(INBO), underscored the role of women.
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Integrated Management and Governance: A Framework for Making Empowerment
a Reality
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Bowdin King, International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives
(ICLEI), moderated the panel on integrated management and governance.
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Welcoming participants to the session, Sybe Schaap, President of the
Dutch Association of Water Boards, emphasized that the water crisis is a
management problem, and stated that the building blocks for an effective
governance framework include stakeholder involvement, adequate financial
resources, and effective organization and legislation.
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Rapule Pule, International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives
(ICLEI), discussed an ICLEI project that engages and assists local
governments in IWRM implementation in the Limpopo River basin in
southern Africa.
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The Challenges of Legal Water Sector Reforms
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José Miguel Zeledón, Ministry of Environment and Energy,
Costa Rica, spoke about the history of water legislation in his country,
characterized by a long process of wide and ongoing consultations. He
explained that the legislation adopts the "polluter pays" principle and
uses an ecosystem approach.
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Francisco Rodríguez, Dominican Republic's National Institute,
outlined the development of water-related legislation in his country,
highlighting that only 30 percent of the population has access to safe
drinking water and sanitation.
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Enrique Salazar, Peruvian Ministry of Agriculture, elaborated on
Peru's legal reform process, highlighting the work of different
successive commissions on expanding existing legislation on water
services and basin management. He said developments were hampered by a
general reluctance to change legislation and by a confusing technical
and legal framework.
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The Role of Water and IWRM in the Achievement of the MDGs
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Mi Hua, Global Environment and Technology Foundation, discussed the
Millennium Project's experience regarding water and poverty
reduction strategy planning in Africa, reviewing the preparation of
MDG-based strategies and MDG needs assessments, and highlighting
important strategies. She also noted challenges in Kenya, including
huge financing gaps and corruption.
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Johan Kuylenstierna, Stockholm International Water Institute, moderated
the session on the role of water and Integrated Water Resources
Management in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
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Ede Iljasz, World Bank, presented on progress in achieving the MDG water
supply and sanitation targets in Africa. He stressed the need for a
Pan-African country-owned, regionally supported water supply and
sanitation MDG roadmap, which would consist of an MDG outlook, a
sector preparedness assessment, and a sustainability scorecard.
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Synthesis session on Transboundary Basin Management: Regional Consensus
as a Driving Force for Progress and Development
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Helen Fotopoulos, City of Montreal, Canada, outlined the history of
water management in Montreal. She described how lack of concern,
budgetary shortsightedness and administrative neglect have limited
efficient water management, which she said is a collective, long-term
endeavor. Fotopoulos advocated the wide adoption of a "water
culture."
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Olivier Cogels, Mekong River Commission, presented the Mekong River
Management Project, explaining that this is a regional IWRM project at
the basin scale, the main purpose of which is to alleviate poverty.
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Adama Sanogo, Secretary-General of the Organization for the Development
of the Senegal River, co-chaired the session, and provided a summary of
participants' contributions at the end.
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IWRM in Federative Countries
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Left: Noting that Brazil has states with broad political autonomy for
water resources, José Machado, ANA, identified diplomacy and dialogue
as major IWRM challenges for federations.
Right: Jacques Cicard, Seine- Normandy Basin Organization, said the river
basin committees in France do not superimpose governmental boundaries.
Emphasizing the usage of the "polluter pays" principle, Cicard
explained how these committees vote on appropriate tax levels for
polluters.
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Around the Forum
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Festive traditional attires from different Mexican states were on
display.
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Orange-shirted volunteers helped participants throughout Centro Banamex.
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The state of Michoacán booth featured colorful walls and a
movie-screen ceiling.
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Reporters tried out a rug-sized version of a children's game about the
water cycle, from the Ramsar Convention Secretariat.
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Students used computers to learn more about water in the Water Fair's
educational area.
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Writer Nienke Beintema offered a copy of the World Water Forum Bulletin
to her countryman, Prince of Orange Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
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![[4th World Water Forum]](/crs/worldwater4/pix/w4wflogo.jpg)
