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No. 14 (118) August 2006



27th MEETING OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE WORLD WATER COUNCIL

Stockholm, 19-20 August 2006

At the meeting of the Board of Governors of the World Water Council, a number of principal issues were considered:

  • outcomes of the 4th World Water Forum;
  • work program for 2006-2009;
  • projects of global importance.

1. Outcomes of the 4th World Water Forum

These were launched:

Asia-Pacific Water Forum - a platform for exchange of knowledge and experience in regard to water resources in Asia and the Pacific region that includes four databases: policies, technologies, activities of NGOs and information sources.

Water Integrity Network (WIN) – an initiative for struggle against corruption in water sector. The aim of the WIN is to initiate and encourage actions, for the sake of the poor, to struggle against corruption in water sector. The network will operate all over the world, establish a needed balance between advocacy and specific actions, and cover all aspects of water supply, sanitation and water resources management.

Furthermore, a set of measures was developed in regard to:

  • water for growth and development;
  • struggle against corruption;
  • implementation of IWRM;
  • monitoring;
  • water supply for all. In particular, the African Development Bank approved a Program “Urban Water Supply” worth US$14.2 billion to provide 80% of the urban population in Africa with clean water; the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development of France in association with similar ministries in other EC member states proposed a Program “Water Supply and Sewerage for Schools”;
  • right to water;
  • water sector financing;
  • risk management, including strategy for flood control, disaster mitigation, consideration of climate change;
  • water for food and the environment.

2. WWC Work Program for 2006-2009 was based on these:

  • the WWC raises its role as a think tank, especially after the 4th WWF;
  • Water Voice is heard and respected all over the world;
  • Water supply in all countries, even in developing ones, requires:
    • precise assessment of resources and requirements;
    • quick changes;
    • task-oriented reforms.

Hence, a scope of tasks for the WWC was determined:

A) WWC:

  • provide the role of the WWC as an analyst of the ongoing global processes, a synthesizer of perspectives, an informer of the water community, and a promoter of reforms and actions.

For that:

  • enlarge the membership;
  • strengthen communication capabilities
  • determine the role of each member of the Board of Governors;
  • modernize relations with members of the Board of Governors;
  • organize 2-3 national/regional conferences;
  • develop communication tools and pool, and communications of members of the Board of Governors.

B) Specifying tasks

  • correct own tasks according to the Millennium Development Goals;
  • contribute to including water in policy programs and intentions;
  • adapt the program to the current conditions;
  • express our opinion on critical aspects.

For that:

  • accurately make up an action plan and scope for each theme set by the General Assembly (methods, guidance, financing, partners, time);
  • integrate immediate or more sensitive aspects (security, energy, urbanization) with suggestions on solving them;
  • develop a program for political introduction and development (purposes, messages, etc.) at regional and national levels.

C) Strengthening governing bodies

  • determine a road map for each body (Assembly, Board of Governors, Bureau, Committees);
  • make key assignments and arrange distribution of obligations among members.

D) Involving members

  • organize annual meeting;
  • appoint members to the Board of Governors responsible for a region (Central Asia, MENA, etc.);
  • make publications and other presentations;
  • appoint aspect coordinators;
  • annual reports of President and quarterly reports of the Headquarters.

E) Guaranteed funding

  • inventory funding sources;
  • reach synchronization among projects and donors, and potential funding;
  • think over certain funding on behalf of patrons.

For that:

  • develop a plan to raise funds for the 5th Forum;
  • strengthen initial funding for very important programs;
  • draw special attention to contacts with MFI – ministries of Italy, Spain, etc.

F) Strengthening the role of the Headquarters

  • establish a group on the 5th WWF;
  • appoint program officers (2-3 members);
  • develop a new organizational scheme for the Headquarters;
  • strengthen our ethics, support to each other and partnership.

3. The work scopes for the following projects of global importance were approved:

  • financing water for all;
  • right to water;
  • extreme water phenomena;
  • sanitation;
  • water and food security;
  • strengthening local water management;
  • monitoring water use;
  • gender and water;
  • transferring know-how

4. An agreement on mutual obligations to hold the 5th World Water Forum in Turkey in 2009 was signed by the President of the World Water Council and the Turkish Government. The text of the agreement was approved by the WWC Board of Governors.

Prof. V.A. Dukhovny
Member, WWC Board of Governors

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DISASTER REDUCTION

An International Conference on Disaster Reduction took place on 27 August to 1 September 2006 in Davos, Switzerland. The conference was organized by the Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction (GADR), Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN), UNESCO and UN International Strategy for disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR). The major sponsorship in holding the event was provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Board of the Swiss Federal Institute for Technologies (ETH-Rat).

The main objective of the Conference was to provide a platform for scientists, decision-makers, and experts who came from 100 countries to discuss disaster risks facing the present society. The Conference considered, in an integrated way, different risks causing disasters such as: natural catastrophes, technical risks, biological and chemical risks, epidemics, terrorism, climate change and so on. Special days were dedicated to discussing such issues as environmental vulnerability, gender equity and terrorism.

The Day of Regions included a special session on Central Asia titled “Harmonizing integrated water resources management in Central Asia”. The session was organized by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL); the Executive Committee (EC) of the International Fund for the Aral Sea Saving (IFAS) was a regional partner for Central Asia. The session consisted of the Scientific and Ministerial Parts.

In the Scientific Part, presentations were made: on temporal and predicted changes in snowiness and glaciation in flow formation zone and their possible impacts on water resources in Central Asia by I.V. Severskiy (Kazakhstan); the problems of water and energy resources use in the Syrdarya river basin, O. Erdman (Kyrgyzstan); flood management improvement in Tajikistan, H. Ibodzoda (Tajikistan); the need for improving water quality management in the Amudarya river basin, U. Saparov (Turkmenistan); water resources in Central Asia and Regional Hydrology Center, L.N. Borovikova (Uzbekistan).

In the Ministerial Part of the session, presentations were made by S. Rakhimov (EC IFAS) on the issues of cooperation among Central Asian states in natural disaster control and by D. Ziganshina (SIC ICWC), reviewing the legislation in Central Asian states on the introduction of IWRM principles and elucidating the actions being implemented within the framework of the ICWC for strengthening the cooperation in the field of joint water resources management in the region.

Based on the outcomes of the special session for Central Asia, a resolution was prepared, which placed the emphasis on the need for conducting regular observations over snow cover, glaciers and water resources as a whole and information exchange between the countries; strengthening scientific, information and educational framework for cooperation; improving the legislation; and continuing the activities under the ASBP-2 with the involvement of the world community in priority problems.

The participants of the session met with representatives of the SDC and discussed possible directions of the cooperation. The host party organized technical tours to familiarize with the activities of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research and the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Snow Slide Research.

D. Ziganshina