7th GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF BASIN ORGANIZATIONS
The General Assembly of the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) took place in Debrecen, the second city after Budapest in Hungary, from 6 to 9 June 2007. These participated from Central Asia: SIC ICWC Director Prof. V.A. Dukhovny as a member of the Board of Directors, ICWC TC Director P.D. Umarov as a permanent member of the Coordination Council, and Deputy Minister of Land Reclamation and Water Resources of Tajikistan Kh. Khasanov – at the invitation of INBO Permanent Technical Secretary Mr. Jean-Francois Donzier.
The General Assembly discussed the results of the activities for the last 3 years under the chairmanship of INBO President Mrs. Madeleine Grandmaison.
For the reporting period, the Network was enlarged by establishment of an African Network of Basin Organizations (AFNBO), significant strengthening of the Mediterranean (MENBO) and Latin American Networks (LatNBO); high efficiency of the Central and Eastern European Network (CEENBO) was noted, and creation of a Russian-speaking Network is in preparation. The total number of organizations participating in the activities of the Network is more than 450.
INBO took an active part in preparation and holding of the 4th World Water Forum.
Visits to multi-lingual INBO website (including Russian-language) reached 800 people a day.
INBO has developed a several associated programs, including INBO-GWP Associated Program for development and strengthening of basin organizations; “Promoting twinning between basins to reinforce practices of Integrated Water Resource Management” (TwinbasinXN) Project (funded by European Union); IWRM-net and so on.
The General Assembly was organized around four large strategic topics:
- Prevention and management of the extreme climate phenomena of floods and droughts,
- Transboundary basin management,
- Monitoring, monitoring networks, reporting, inter-calibration,
- Preparation of action plans for basin organizations and their financing, etc
China, India, Vietnam and a lot of representatives from African continent were at the General Assembly for the first time. It is significant that their water organizations make a considerable progress in their development and cooperation. The experience of the Senegal River Basin Authority is especially noteworthy. The river unites the interests of 5 countries, which include development of navigation, irrigation, water supply, and hydropower. In face of the growing shortage, countries unite and è advance. The construction of large dams with hydropower stations is carried out using loans from IFIs, which are taken by all member countries for further sharing of hydropower in each country. This enables them to sign agreements where they guarantee joint water resources management.
There is a different situation in South African Union. Here, water process is advancing quickly at national level. National Water Law was adopted in 1997, Law on Water Services was adopted in 1998, Country Water Strategy was approved in 2005, and Law on Implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management including obligations of sectors of economy with regard to water sector was prepared in 2007.
At the Assembly, papers related to economic aspects of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) were presented. This document envisages that all European river basins should reach a good ecological status by 2015. For these purpose, all counties prepared action plans. The elements of these plans are economic analysis that includes “cost-benefit” assessment, “cost recovery”, price policy in water and determination of good water status. The participants regretted that in many countries, operational costs for water do not exceed 0.2% of GDP, though they should amount to 1% according to the Directive. At the same time, such countries as Holland contribute no less than 2.5% of the budget a year to water sector.
Considerable costs for putting basins in order are typical for in Belgium and Holland. For example, Rhine – Meps basin prepared an action plan, which stipulates 46 million euro for 13 basins using on average 2300 euro/km2. At that, 80% of the budget is taxes taken from interested subjects through municipalities, 10% is funds from industry and another 10% is funds from agriculture.
Growth in public committees at basin organizations is observed everywhere. In particular, in Canada and USA, local networks for assistance to water management organizations have been established, the main tasks of which are to attract means to improve systems and develop infrastructure, support environmental approaches, develop information field and especially water services.
Public agencies around the world take an active part in implementation of IWRM. With the participation of INBO Secretariat and the European Union, IWRM-net that popularizes achieved results through its bodies and the mass-media has been established and developed.
One of the events at the Assembly was a meeting of members to the Twinbasin Project Steering Committee, at which Project Manager Alain Bernard reported on progress. Due to the completion of the project in this year, it was decided to complete trips before 1 October and all other financial reports up to late October.
The General assembly made a decision as Debrecen Declaration. Laszlo Kothay (Hungary) was elected INBO President.
To popularize activities of INBO, SIC ICWC maintains Russian-language website:
www.cawater-info.net/int_org/inbo/
ADB AND SIC ICWC CENTRAL ASIA SIGNED A LETTER OF AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION TO ESTABLISH A NETWORK “GENDER AND WATER IN CENTRAL ASIA”
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Scientific-Information Center of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (SIC ICWC) in Central Asia signed on 18 May 2007 a Letter of Agreement on cooperation to establish a Gender and Water Network (GWANET) in Central Asia Republics (CARs). The aim of the cooperation is to assist to provide gender equity in water resources management in CARs through increasing the role of women in decision-making processes.
The objectives are to: (i) raise gender awareness among water sector stakeholders at regional, national and local levels through establishment of GWANET; (ii) strengthen capacity of water sector stakeholders for incorporating gender dimensions into the decision-making process. Since ADB’s assistance programs in CARs include water related loans and technical assistance, it is expected that this project will help improve understanding of stakeholders’ needs, in particular, gender dimensions, in implementing water related activities at national and regional levels.
The project will have two components: (i) Gender Awareness Promotion; and (ii) Capacity Building of Water Sector Organizations. The first component will be implemented through the existing network of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) and Global Water Partnership for Caucasus and Central Asia (GWP CACENA) with participation of focal points in CARs consisting of one water specialist and one gender specialist.
During the year, it is planned to hold a number of meetings with target groups and seminars with different water sector stakeholders at regional, national and local levels to raise gender awareness within water sector and reveal the most critical problems in the region. It is expected that upon the completion of the project, a set of recommendations will be prepared and submitted to national and local governments on how to incorporate gender into water sector development programs and develop gender-sensitive policies in water sector in CARs.
To implement the second component, it is planned to organize training seminars on gender with involvement of all stakeholders and practical trainings for water management organizations in CARs to mainstream gender at the decision-making process with the aim to achieve a 30% quota for women’s participation in water-related activities. Activities carried out will be reported at the project website and in the mass media (television, radio and periodicals).
One of the main project results should be the establishment of informal network «GWANET – Gender and Water in Central Asia», which will unite all concerned organizations and individuals to promote gender aspects in water resources management.
We call all interested persons to join the “GWANET – Gender and Water in central Asia” in order to achieve the following by joint efforts:
- Raise awareness and promote gender mainstreaming in the region;
- Attain more knowledge and understanding of gender issues in water management;
- Exchange experience and best practices on the matter, translate theoretical concepts on gender into action;
- Build profile for the need of gender sensitization and a platform for women’s voices within the governance structures of the region;
- Lay the foundation of further cooperation leading to successful gender sensitive water management;
- Create the network among concerned agencies and individuals to facilitate further cooperation both national and regional level.
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