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dam-l WCD Call for Submissions for Africa hearing/LS



CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

LARGE DAMS AND THEIR ALTERNATIVES IN AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST:
EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS LEARNED

Third Regional Consultation of the World Commission on Dams

Introduction: The World Commission on Dams has held to date two successful
public consultations as part of its mandate to receive inputs that inform
its work programme. Consultations are one element of a comprehensive
research programme and aim to provide the Commission with an open forum for
listening to all interested parties in the debate. The first South Asia
consultation was held in Sri Lanka in December 1998, the second
consultation on Latin America, in Brazil in August 1999. Both drew large
numbers of participants comprising presenters, observers and the media. In
all, four regional consultations are planned during the life of the
Commission. The third consultation will focus on the experiences and
lessons learnt with dams, water and energy development across Africa and
the Middle East. The consultation will be held on December 8-9 1999 (dates
and venue to be confirmed) in Cairo, Egypt.

The World Commission on Dams: The World Commission on Dams (WCD) is an
independent, international commission constituted under the auspices of a
wide array of representatives from governments, civil society, the private
sector and international organizations.

Professor Kader Asmal, Minister of Education for the Republic of South
Africa, is the appointed chair of the WCD and is joined by eleven other
distinguished individuals from across the globe.

The WCD's key objectives are to conduct a global review of the development
effectiveness of large dams; formulate an options assessments and decision
making framework for the sustainable management of water and energy
resources; and propose a set of internationally acceptable criteria and
guidelines for the planning, appraisal, design, construction, operation,
monitoring and decommissioning of large dams. The guiding principles of the
WCD are openness, transparency, inclusiveness and accessibility.

The Regional Consultation: The Regional Consultation for Africa and the
Middle East is being convened to assist the Commission in fulfilling its
mandate by achieving the following goals:

* invite a broad range of interested parties to participate in and inform
the WCD's work
* facilitate the public exchange of ideas and views among various
constituencies in the region
* provide the Commissioners with an opportunity to develop a shared
knowledge base.

The composition of panels and presentations at the consultation aims to
achieve diversity in regional representation as well as from the various
interested groups involved in the debate over large dams and sustainable
water and energy management. Given the neutral and independent nature of
the Commission, the WCD will welcome presentations from government, private
sector and civil society sectors reflecting a diversity of interests,
perspectives and experiences.

Invitations for Presentations: The WCD invites all interested persons to
submit proposals for presentations related to the key objectives outlined
above, focusing on the experiences and lessons learnt locally, nationally,
or regionally across Africa and the Middle East. The following themes are
proposed as a preliminary framework developing submissions; however
flexibility will be maintained in receiving submissions that do not fall
within these themes:

1       Dams and their Alternatives in Egypt: a Country Perspective
*       For the host country panel, a range of presentations are expected,
focusing among other issues on, Egypt's experience in managing the Nile
River System and the lessons to be learned from the Aswan Dam.

2       Dams, Food Security and Livelihoods: Understanding Benefits and Impacts
*       Presentations can focus on the differential benefits and impacts
ranging from national food security issues to impacts on local communities
and livelihoods. These could cover social and economic aspects such as
economic vulnerability, dam induced development, resettlement, downstream
impacts, and gender issues, etc.

3       Dams and Water Resource Management: Reviewing Alternate Options
*       Presentations may explore the technical options for improving
efficiency of current uses whilst looking at issues such as demand-side
management, conservation, recycling, among others.

4       Dams and Ecosystems: Assessing and Managing Environmental Impacts
*       The presentations under this theme could focus on rivers,
floodplains and deltas. Possible topics to explore: the environmental
values of rivers, floodplains and deltas; experiences in flood releases in
restoring/enhancing ecosystems; the environmental values of reservoirs.

5.      Dams and Energy: Assessing the Hydropower Option for National
Development
*       The thematic focus for presentations could be on hydropower and the
lessons to be derived from the ways and means by which hydropower has had
an impact on economic and social development in Africa and the Middle East.
Presentations may also focus on available alternatives for energy supply.

6       Dams and River Basins: Lessons Learned and Implications for
Managing Shared Water Resources
*       Some of the issues that could be explored are: experiences in the
management of shared watercourses; issues posed/opportunities created by
large dam projects in transboundary water courses; dams, water sharing,
international law, conflict prevention and resolution, and regional
co-operation/security

7       Dams and Regulatory Frameworks: the Role of Legislation and
National Development Policies
*       Presentations may provide a range of experiences in the development
of national/regional legislation on water regulation and extraction, and
similarly in the development of national policies that provide a framework
for incentives, and for criteria and guidelines that have aided decision
making in the past.


A two-page summary of the proposed presentation, preferably in English, is
requested for no later than October 25, 1999.  Selection for presentations
will be based on the relevance of the topic, quality of submission and
experience/expertise of presenter. Those selected will be invited to make
their presentations during proceedings that are designed as a formal
dialogue between presenters and members of the Commission.

Invitation for General Submissions: In addition to proposals for
presentation at the consultation, submissions (not for presentation at the
consultation) of materials documenting the experiences and lessons learnt
are also encouraged. These submissions can be prepared in written, audio,
video or other format.

For further information: Please contact Saneeya Hussain at phone: ++27 21
426 4000, fax: ++27 21 426 0036, or email: shussain@dams.org; submissions
may be sent directly to submission@dams.org. For general enquiries on the
Commission e-mail: info@dams.org.

Interested parties can also visit the WCD web-site, http://www.dams.org or
write to the Commission Secretariat at:

World Commission on Dams
5th Floor Hycastle House
58, Loop Street
PO Box: 16002,
Vlaeberg, 8018
Cape Town
SOUTH AFRICA

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      Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
        and Editor, World Rivers Review
           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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