Ministère de l'Aménagement du Territoire et de
l'Environnement
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Ministère des
Affaires Etrangères
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WATER AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Paris - 19/20/21 march 1998 |
La reproduction et la diffusion ont été rendues possibles
grâce à l'aimable autorisation du Secrétariat Général à la Conférence EDD
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Site officiel: http://www.eaudd.com
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Summary
APPROVED PAPERS
PROGRAMME OF PRIORITY ACTIONS
WORKSHOP
1 : |
IMPROVING KNOWLEDGE OF WATER RESOURCES AND USES
FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT |
WORKSHOP
2 : |
(here) PROMOTING HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL
CAPACITY BUILDING |
WORKSHOP
3 : |
DEFINING STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT
AND IDENTIFYING APPROPRIATE MEANS OF FINANCING |
END : |
PARIS DECLARATION |
WORKSHOP
INBO : |
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF BASIN ORGANIZATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS |
II - PROMOTING HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AND
INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING
This topic deals with both:
- integrated management of water resources, and
- services for the supply and use of the resources, including
sanitation.
As the Harare experts group meeting recalled, an integrated approach
requires a significant reinforcement of institutional and human capacities at both
national and local levels in a complementary manner, associating civil society at each of
these levels.
These actions require, to be effective and durable, strong political
will and long-term financial commitment.
II - D - INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING
II - D - 1 - role of public authorities
In order to improve management of the water sector, it is important
to support integrated and multi-year projects for the establishment and improvement of
administrative, financial and technical frameworks. These projects should take into
account the specific needs, capacities and culture of each country and address in
particular:
· II-D-1-1- adequate legislation and
regulations for an integrated management of water resources and the means for their
enforcement,
· II-D-1-2 - management agencies, that
already exist or are to be set up, together with a precise definition of their
responsibilities and financial resources,
· II-D-1-3 - institutional bodies and
procedures enabling the participation of local authorities, representatives of users and
civil society in decision-making, projects specifications and programmes, including women,
nomadic populations and the poor.
· II-D-1-4 - detailed studies of
master plans for long-term water development and management, at the level of large river
basins or aquifers in particular,
· II-D-1-5- elaboration of multi-year
priority investment programmes at a national level that take into account
" user-pays " systems and the " polluter-pays "
principle, and capacity to pay.
II - D - 2 - role of local authorities
Devolution to local authorities of responsibilities for organisation
and management of public water supply, sanitation services and irrigation systems should
be encouraged. The following objectives merit particular attention:
· II-D-2-1- Improving the
decision-making capacity of local managers,
· II-D-2-2- Facilitating exchange of
experience between managing agencies,
· II-D-2-3- Improving the economic and
technical efficiency of the services.
· II-D-2-4- Promoting local initiatives.
II - D - 3 - participation of civil society
The participation of civil society and the general public in the
planning, design and funding of programmes requires:
· II-D-3-1- access to information
and its dissemination by the media and educational systems in particular,
· II-D-3-2- the training of those
involved in the decision-making process, including leaders of village communities,
irrigation water users' associations and non-governmental organisations/associations,
· II-D-3-3- the promotion and
co-ordination of initiatives within organisations that have the necessary expertise
and capacity for advocacy,
· II-D-3-4- the full involvement of
local communities and women -who play a key role-; raising awareness of children,
starting at primary school.
It is recommended that a significant share of official development
assistance for large infrastructure, equipment and institutional reform projects be
allocated for the promotion of these activities.
II - D 4 - implementation of management tools for transboundary freshwater
bodies
Considering inter alia the relevant chapters of Agenda 21, the Rio
Declaration, and the programme for further implementation as adopted by the U.N. General
Assembly, riparian states are encouraged to co-operate among each other on matters
relating to transboundary water resources, taking into account the interests of all states
concerned. To this end, it is desirable inter alia to:
- promote the exchange of reliable and comparable information
between riparian countries,
- develop dialogues at all levels, including at the level of the
relevant international institutions and arrangements whenever appropriate,
- define priority action plans of common interest to be implemented
in order to improve water management and pollution control.
There are more than 215 transboundary rivers in the world. The
action of bi- and multilateral donor institutions in the field of transboundary freshwater
resources development and management should be enhanced and facilitated.
The Global Environment Facility should take into account this
Programme of Priority Actions under its existing relevant focal areas to build body-based
operational programme activities which meet Global Environment Facility guidelines. In
particular, capacity-building projects should include action in support of dissemination
of information and awareness raising among political and technical decision-makers and to
support preliminary feasibility studies at the national level when these are consistent
with overall national development strategy in the countries concerned.
II - D - 5 - collection and dissemination of economic information :
We should strengthen studies which aim to improve knowledge of water
costs in the different uses, to monitor performance and to provide economic indicators at
national and regional level, taking into account the interests of the states concerned,
Monitoring mechanisms should be developed or established on an
appropriate scale. In order to define and standardise their methods, to disseminate and
compare their results, on a voluntary basis, they should have sufficient means to carry
out these programmes and research and facilitate their co-ordination in international
co-operation networks.
II - E - HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
Among the different aspects of human resources development, that of
the multidisciplinary and multisectoral training and information of
both professionals and users in the water sector is a prerequisite for the optimum use of
water resources and the cost-effectiveness of facilities.
II - E - 1 - vocational training for professionals
Funding in this field should progressively and significantly
increase.
In-service vocational training can only be sustained through funding
by public and private employers in the water sector.
Particular attention should be paid to the training of women at all
levels.
ODA should give priority to the establishment and development of
regional training focal points, while developing as a first step the educational
capacities of existing training institutions.
Depending on requirements and situation, this could be implemented
by setting up training institutions specialised in technical and managerial aspects of the
water sector at a national or regional level.
The training of trainers and the development of necessary
educational materials could be promoted by organising these training institutions into
networks.
II - E- 1-1 - training of high-level professionals
The formulation and implementation of water policies based on the
principles of integrated water resources management, require the appropriate training of
high-level professionals.
II - E - 1- 2 - training of operators
Training the least qualified staff (who represent the majority of
workers in the sector) by using appropriate in-service training methods should be given a
high priority.
Vocational training leads to the improvement of:
- operating conditions, maintenance and rehabilitation of community
networks and installations, for reducing leakage and monitoring water quality,
- administrative organisation, management and relations with users
in water community services and administrations.
II - E - 2 - research and transfer of technology :
National and regional research programmes linked to higher
education, especially these relating to integrated water and land management in watershed
areas and the functioning of water-related ecosystems, should be developed.
Exchange of know-how and technology should be promoted, including
among developing countries, taking into account indigenous technologies.
The international community has a particular responsibility in this
field.
II - E - 3 - awareness, information and education of users:
Water management is not only the responsibility of the professionals
of the sector but also increasingly involves all the users and local populations.
Water and land users alike should be made more aware of issues
relating to wastage control, the economic, social and cultural value of water, prevention
of water-borne diseases and pollution, soil erosion and environmental protection.
This requires a global and transdisciplinary approach integrated
into the culture, know-how and traditions of local populations.
Specific actions should be strengthened to enable women to
participate fully and equitably in the formulation and management of projects.
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