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Last update: September 11, 2007


Ministerial Roundtable Dialogue on Water Sector Challenges

From left: Mr. Frank Rijsberman, Director General, IWMI Headquarters,
Mr. Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Mr. Myoung-Ho Shin, Vice President of ADB and
H.E. Mr. Ronald Kasrils, Minister for Water Affairs and Forestry

Whilst predictions abound concerning the forthcoming water shortages and water-related conflicts, practical action may at last be forthcoming, following the first ever Asian Ministerial Roundtable Dialogue on Water Sector Challenges, Policies and Institutional Development in Asia, held at the UN Conference Centre, Bangkok, 22-23 May 2002, organized by IWMI and ESCAP, with sponsorship by ADB and support by the Royal Thai Government, and participants from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam, as well as a special guest from South Africa.

A Meeting of Senior Officials of the water resources sectors from ten countries took place on 22 May. The results of a questionnaire survey undertaken by the senior officials provided a wealth of information regarding many aspects of the water situation in their countries, ranging from the need for water policies, laws, water rights, allocation, action plans and basin organizations for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), to priorities on improving water supply and sanitation facilities, developing irrigation and drainage, financing mechanisms, flood mitigation and regional cooperation. The results of this questionnaire, together with priority areas identified during discussion between the senior officials, provided a draft document for further debate at the Ministerial Roundtable Dialogue that took place on 23 May.

The Joint Statement agreed by the Ministerial Delegations on 23 May, elaborated on an earlier initiative on freshwater under the Regional Phnom Penh Platform on Sustainable Development, adopted at the Regional PrepCom in November 2001, and was conveyed to the Ministerial PrepCom meeting held in Bali in June. The Statement is also to be brought to the attention of future global forums that address issues on water resources, such as the World Summit on Sustainable Development, to be held in Johannesburg in August 2002, and Third World Water Forum, Japan in March 2003, which coincides with the International Year of Freshwater. The Joint Statement highlighted common concerns, shared principles and agreed priorities for action concerning water and sustainable development, a subject of vital importance, including regional cooperation and water related priorities in the region.

The meeting acknowledged that water underscores and is a vital component of all aspects of sustainable development. One week earlier, the UN Secretary General, in launching a new campaign to raise awareness of the forthcoming Summit, declared that Water and Sanitation, Energy, Health, Agriculture and Biodiversity were the five key areas where concrete results can and must be obtained, to be remembered by a simple acronym: WEHAB - “We inhabit the earth, and we must rehabilitate our one and only planet.” “Together”, he noted, “we need to build a new ethic of global stewardship”.

In his opening remarks at the Roundtable, Mr. Frank Risjberman, Director General, International Water Management Institute, chose the topic: “Achieving Water Security”. He appealed for focusing the Johannesburg Summit on a small number of priority issues and priority actions, to ensure concrete results. He noted that the Prince of Orange, a member of the Panel set up by the UN Secretary General to prepare contributions for the Summit, focused specifically on water. The recommended targets and actions, which could go a long way towards solving the water crisis if the international community chose to adopt them, included: shared values, public-private sector nexus, global governance and science and technology. He stated that the water crisis, captioned by “No Water, No Life”, is mainly one of governance, and overcoming it presents a formidable challenge on the road to sustainable development. Hence the Summit should reaffirm the importance of achieving water security and adopting targets and actions that would meet these challenges. Among IWMI programmes are “Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture” and “Challenge Programme on Water and Food”.

Mr. Myoung-Ho Shin, Vice-President of ADB, in his opening statement, outlined the Asian Development Bank’s vision and policy for the water sector, under the theme “Water for All”, which was adopted by the Board of Directors in January 2001. He said that improving water security was recognized at the 2nd World Water Forum in The Hague in 2000, as the major development challenge for the 21st century, with poverty reduction being ADB’s main objective and water the priority sector of the Banks’ operations. He identified water sector governance and financing as ADB’s two most critical issues in the water sector. He urged that the Dialogue should give full consideration to the theme of water security of the poor.

The opening remarks by Mr. Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary, ESCAP drew attention to the high priority given by ESCAP to assisting developing countries in the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Declaration Goals, keeping in mind the emphasis on sustainable development. The Phnom Penh Regional Platform on Sustainable Development, which articulates the region’s perspective for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, identifies important regional development goals and seven initiatives, including the development and early implementation of a regional initiative on freshwater resources. This initiative aims to promote a national focus on fostering the integrated management of water resources and basins; the improvement and expansion in delivery of water services, especially to the poor; fostering the conservation of water and increasing system efficiency; promoting regional cooperation and increasing the mutually beneficial use of shared water resources within and between countries; and to facilitate the exchange of water sector information and experiences.

In his inaugural statement, H.E. Mr. Pitak Intrawityanunt, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, highlighted developments in the management of water resources, decentralization and people participation. The average per capita water availability in Thailand is 3,045 cubic meters per year, the lowest in South-East Asia, yet high priority is placed on meeting the Millennium Declaration’s goal of halving the proportion of people unable to reach or afford safe drinking water by the year 2015. His statement outlined recent developments in water resource management, particularly in the light of decentralization and participation of the local communities, as well as referring to the interest and work of His Majesty The King of Thailand in the field of water and development.

H.E. Mr. Ronald Kasrils conveyed the keynote address

The meeting was most fortunate to have as keynote speaker The Honorable Mr. Ronnie Kasrils, Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa. In his address on “Water Resource Management, Policies, Reform—A South African Perspective”, he noted that despite the different climatic conditions, many critical water issues were common to both Africa and Asia. He outlined what drove the water reform in South Africa; the potential for water and development in the eradication of the scourge of poverty; the right for everyone to have access to food and water; the objectives of water management; the need for equity in the distribution of water; sustainability, efficiency and the sharing of water in international rivers. He emphasized that the focus should be on the needs of the poor for basic water and sanitation; adoption of an integrated approach to water management; raising the awareness of the impact of climate change on water management and our vulnerability to floods and drought; and working together to share the benefits from water use and to see sustainable development leading to peace and democracy throughout the world.