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dam-l Story about end of WW Forum: Water Security for All? (fwd)



Thanks to Himanshu Thakkar for sending this along.

-Dianne

Forwarded message:
From cwaterp@del3.vsnl.net.in  Thu Mar 23 12:13:40 2000
Message-ID: <38DA5051.FBB29180@del3.vsnl.net.in>
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 22:41:45 +0530
From: Himanshu Thakkar <cwaterp@del3.vsnl.net.in>


Source: Kathamandu Post, March 23, 2000

Water Forum committed to water security

 By Kavita Sherchan

 THE HAGUE, Netherland, March 22 - The Second World Water Forum and the
Ministerial Conference
 concluded here today with commitment to provide water security to all
in the twenty-first century.

 There was no ministerial representation from Nepal in the two-day
conference. The out-going Minister
 of Water Resource Govind Raj Joshi who was registered here as the
participant was not present. He
 was represented by the National Planning Commission member Dr Ramesh
Anand Vaidya.

 Various governments and organizations pledged their commitment to
develop the water sector. The
 Netherlands government committed to double the investments in water
sector through international
 cooperation. It will also support a major initiative related for food
and establish a UNESCO Institute for
 Water Education in Delft. The British government has pledged to
increase its focus on water in the
 next three years. Likewise the CEO of the Global Environment Facility
announced a doubling of the
 water-related budget.

 The Forum deliberated on issues like globalization of water, water and
conflict prevention, water and
 ethics, water and dams and orienting politicians on water reforms in
these six days.

 Concerns were repeatedly raised over the issue of globalization of
water and private sector involvement
 in the water sector. Activists strongly criticized the involvement of
private sector and multinationals
 inthe management of water.

 The NGO and Trade Union Major Groups rejected the mandate of the World
Water Commission and
 the World Water Council Vision Document which was presented on the
first day of the Forum and
 expressed serious concern about the process and contents to the date of
framework for action.

 The NGO forum rejected the Vision and the Framework for Action reports
and the draft Ministerial
 Declaration as "the process was not participatory and the content not
acceptable."

 The draft ministerial declaration states "In the background of the
preparatory work for and discussion
 in The Hague, we will work within multilateral institutions,
particularly the UN system, international
 financial institutions and bodies established by inter-governmental
treaties to strengthen water related
 policies and programmes that enhance water security and to assist
countries, as appropriate, to
 address the major challenges identified in the declaration."

 The draft declaration also welcomes the recommendation of the World
Water Council regarding the
 Vision and the Global Partnership for the develop of the Framework for
Action.

 The declaration has identified among others meeting basic water needs,
securing food supply,
 protecting eco-systems, sharing water resources and managing risks.

 Meanwhile, the Stockholm Water Foundation today announced to award the
10th Stockholm Water
 Prize to Professor Kader Amal, Minister of Education in South Africa
for his contribution in the
 development of vision, legislation and practice in the field of water
managment in South Asia.

 The award presented annually to an institution, individual or a company
carries the purse of US$
 150,000 and a crystal Orrefors sculpture. The prize will be awarded
during the 10th Stockholm Water
 Symposium on Water Security for the 21st Century - Innovative
Approaches that will take place in
 August 14-17 in Stockholm, Sweden.