3RD WORLD WATER FORUM
3rd World Water Forum was held in period 16-23 of March in Japan, in 3 cities,
located in basin of Biwa Lake and Yodo River – Kyoto, Osaka, and Shiga.
About 12.000 inhabitants of Japan and 8.000 invitees from above 170 world
countries took part in this forum organized by World Water Council and Government
of Japan.
Enormous preparatory work all over the world has preceded this forum. Special
web-site was opened, where except information about forum, press-releases virtual
water conferences as well as database on project “Water Voice” were
placed, preliminary discussions were conducted in many national and international
organizations, where all stockholders on water problems and related prospects
of global development were involved.
Due to sponsorship of Government of Japan and Asian Development Bank more than
30 representatives of region participated in forum: ministers and deputy ministers
of water management and agriculture, and environment of region countries, governmental
organizations and regional water organizations – ICWC, EC IFAS, SDC.
ICWC organized exhibition “Central Asia in the way towards water partnership” and
actively worked in many forum measures. Opening ceremony of Day of Asia, conducted
by President of International Fund for Aral Sea Saving, President of Tajikistan
E. Rakhmonov, impressed greatly. President of Tajikistan has demonstrated background
of initiated collaboration between Aral Sea basin countries, how they are developing
and what assistance we receive from international sponsors.
Chairman of Forum National Preparatory Committee Mr. R. Hashimoto and President
of World Water Council Mr. M. Abu-Zeid opened forum. Following persons greeted
forum participants: Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan, Prince Moulay Rachid of
Morocco, Prince of Orange Willem Alexander of the Netherlands. President of
France J. Chirac addressed Forum delegates in videotape.
After opening ceremony the King Hassan II Great World Water Prize of giving
ceremony was held. Prince of Morocco Moulay Rachid handed in prize to M. Abu-Zeid
(Egypt) and J. Kelman (Brazil) “for contribution in water resources
management and development”.
Further, during 6 days – from 16 to 23 of March – forum participants
have opportunity to discuss problems on 351 sessions integrated in 33 themes
and 5 regional days. Themes included set of sessions integrated according to
some common feature: water and climate; water supply, sanitation and water
pollution; water and environment; IWRM; water, agriculture, and food; water
and poverty eradication; dams and sustainable development, etc. Sessions were
also grouped according to “geographical” feature into regional
days: Africa, Asia, and Oceania; America; Middle East and Mediterranean region;
Europe.
On March 22-23 Ministerial Conference was held. There was discussion also divided
into 5 directions: safe drinking water and sanitation; water for food and development;
prevention of water pollution and conservation of ecosystems; poverty liquidation
and risk management; water resources management and profit distribution. Conference
ended by adopting Ministerial Declaration and “Portfolio of Water Actions”.
Objective of “Water Voice” project is collection of different opinions
and ideas related water over the world including places without access to Internet.
Collected ideas have served as basis for discussions on water problems’ solution.
During project implementation above 27.000 messages were collected from 2045
registered Messengers of “Water Voice” and 168 partner organizations
from 147 countries of the world.
We have collected and set 133 messages in database of project “Water
Voice” on forum server. On assessment results carried out by Forum Secretariat
SIC ICWC Director V.A. Dukhovny, registered as Messenger of “Water Voice” has
been included in 20 best Messengers of “Water Voice” and awarded
with special prize. Chairman of National Preparatory Committee, ex-premier
minister of Japan Mr. R. Hashimoto gave this prize.
Basic objective of virtual conferences organized on the threshold of Forum – discuss
water issues and already “submit” Forum some proposals and decisions.
ICWC Scientific-Information Center opened virtual conference “Central
Asia – towards integral partnership” on February, 20, 2002. This
conference mainly aims to involve water experts and all, who concern Aral Sea
basin problems, in water management process and partnership of governmental
and non-governmental organizations.
Many water organization of region, being budget ones, face troubles with connecting
Internet and installing e-mail. Therefore, beside initiating active multilateral
dialogue SIC ICWC experts assisted in setting in WWF-3 site messages coming
from water experts of Central Asia.
Our conference exists 1 year, and already 100 messages from 43 persons from
9 countries were received. On results of complex estimates carried out by Forum
Secretariat our conference takes 4 place in the world.
Within frameworks of Forum Day of Asia special session all devoted to Aral
Sea basin problems was conducted on March 18, 2003.
Session “Cooperation in integrated water resources use in Central Asia:
experience of the past and problems of the future” was organized by ICWC
jointly with ADB and UN University. Beside above mentioned organizations representatives
of IFAS, SDC, NGOs form Central-Asian countries, CIDA, Kyoto and Tokyo Universities
took part in session.
Following officials took part in session: Vice-Premier Minister of Kyrgyz Republic
B. Mambetov, Director General of ADB Division of East and Central Asia M. Tusneem,
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Water Management of Kyrgyz Republic J. Bekbolotov,
Rector of UN University H. van Ginkel.
Following officials presented key reports:
I. Kobori, Senior Adviser, UN University; S. Aslov, EC IFAS Chairman - «IFAS
activity in Aral Sea basin»; A. Jalalov, First Deputy Minister of Agriculture
and Water Management of Uzbekistan - «Effective water resources use in
market economy conditions in Central Asia»; H. Tsusui, Prof. from Kinki
University - «Japanese researches’ involvement in Aral Sea problems’ solution»;
J. Bogardi, UNESCO - «UNESCO role in solution of the Aral Sea problems».
Session work was organized as 3 discussion panels:
1. Past experience and future opportunities of regional cooperation in water
resources management in Central Asia; Chairman – Minister of Water Management
of Tajikistan A. Nazy
rov.
Following officials presented key reports:
A. Ryabtsev, Chairman of Committee for Water Resources of Kazakhstan
- «10
years of experience in shared water resources management in the Aral Sea basin»;
B. Mambetov, Vice-Premier Minister of Kyrgyz Republic - «Regional cooperation
improvement in water resources management in the Aral Sea basin – needs
and alternatives»; G. LeMoigne, international expert on transboundary
water resources - «Involvement of donors in the Aral Sea basin issues:
future tasks and opportunities»; M. Bromhead, Manager of Natural Resources
Division, World Bank - «Strategic trends of ASBP and World Bank activity».
2. Integrated water resources management in context of the Aral Sea basin;
Chairman – 1st Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Water Management of
Kyrgyz Republic B. Koshmatov.
Following officials presented key reports:
V. Dukhovny, SIC ICWC Director - «Recent IWRM experience and problems
in the Aral Sea basin»; D. McKinney, Texas University - «IWRM in
context of basin water management».
3. Environmental issues in the Aral Sea basin; Chairman – 1st Deputy
Minister of Agriculture and Water Management of Uzbekistan A.Jalalov.
Following officials presented key reports:
U. Shokirov, Minister of Environment Conservation of Tajikistan - «Environmental
issues of the Aral Sea basin and role of different water users in their decision»;
N. Ishida, Kyoto University, researcher - «Aspects of recent environmental
changes in the Aral Sea basin»; O. Ataniyazova, Director of Experimental
Medical Center, Karakalpakstan.
Session resulted in establishment of basic points of discussions by delegations
of Central Asia states as statement:
«Time of analysis, crying, sympathy, and critiques has passed. It’s
high time for real actions. It is necessary to create basis for peace, well-being,
and improvement of environment, which should be transferred to next generation.
We must make principal attempts:
1. Creation of mutual understanding, longing for consensus among all participants
of water use, management, and conservation, “hydrosolidarity” instead
of “hydroegoism” demand formation of appropriate political climate – both
at international and national level, to disseminate principles of integrated
water resources management at basin, national, and local levels.
2. Mutual understanding among all parties interested in fact that planning,
management, and conservation of water resources can’t be grounded on
temporary decisions: water penetrates in every point of society and environment,
and we must reject everything that brings damage, rifts, and failures. Only
properly balanced long-term decisions regarding future may increase activity
in our situation!
3. Information network development not only at different levels of water resources
management hierarchy, but also in environmental organizations and NGOs with
broad communication network will open the window to the world for water users,
water managers, and all stakeholders. Primary priority for such activity in
region is contribution of donors.
4. Training and education should be concentrated on creation of knowledge and
experience of targeted groups of expert-practicians as well as formation of
traditional attitude to water as shrine for all CAR peoples beginning from
the childhood.
5. International water right should be stricter and obligatory for fulfillment.
Some principal provisions could be useful for solving international transboundary
issues:
- Ecologically permissible water use level in every basin;
- Criteria of equitable water allocation;
- Diplomatic status of regional water organizations.
6. Donors’ contribution in Aral Sea basin program is very important
part of support of cooperation between states as well as dissemination of integrated
water resources management. Broader involvement of local experience, priority
in promotion of ecological projects would be good response for requirements
of WWF-3.
We are greeting proceeding assistance of international community in such important
areas as preparation and implementation of Aral Sea Basin Program-2, development
of interstate agreements and building capacity of regional organizations.
Donors, in particular ADB, World Bank, USAID, CIDA, UN and others, manifested
increasing interest to assisting Aral Sea basin states in deciding complex
tasks of water resources management, their use and water-related issues to
provide long-term political, economical, and social stability in region. Donors
reached understanding about that basin countries should mobilize coordinated
efforts at high political level to support regional cooperation, having taken
real actions and financial responsibilities”.
In conclusion CAR Delegation expressed gratitude and presented souvenirs
to ADB representatives and WWF-3 Secretariat for financial support of Central
Asia Delegation.
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