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dam-l Water pledge
>
>AFRICAN MINISTERS MAKE PLEDGE ON WATER
>CAPE TOWN December 9 1997 Sapa
>
> Representatives of 22 African countries, including South Africa,
> on Tuesday signed a declaration committing them to an "integrated"
> approach, including international partnerships, to managing urban
> water resources.
>
> The declaration was drawn up at a three-day conference at Somerset
> West on water supply and sanitation, where delegates were told
> that providing adequate water for human, industrial and commercial
> use was one of the biggest challenges facing governments and local
> authorities around the world.
>
> The document noted that there was a growing gap between available
> resources and the rapidly rising costs of providing services. It
> said the current emphasis on facilities rather than services, and
> on public sector provision rather than partnerships with civil
> society, had proved inadequate.
>
> The signatories, 17 ministers responsible for water affairs and
> five ministerial representatives, from countries including
> Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ghana, Tanzania and the Ivory Coast, agreed
> to promote partnerships between countries and between "all actors
> within countries" to harness resources.
>
> They would promote innovative funding mechanisms and make
> affordable credit available to enable "the poorest of the poor" to
> meet their own water and sanitation needs.
>
> They would attempt to mobilise international financial resources
> on equitable and affordable terms. The delegates also endorsed an
> action programme containing guidelines on rural development.
>
To: irn-safrica@igc.apc.org
X-Sender: lori@pop.igc.apc.org
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Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
Tel. (510) 848 1155 Fax (510) 848 1008
http://www.irn.org
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