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THE
THIRTEENTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT: The
thirteenth session of the United Nations Commission on
Sustainable Development (CSD-13) took place from 11-22 April
2005, at UN headquarters in New York. CSD-13 was the second
session to be held since the new multi-year programme of
work was adopted at CSD-11 in 2003. The final document
contains decisions on CSD-13’s three thematic areas, as well
as on “interlinkages and cross-cutting issues” and on
“international institutional arrangements for monitoring and
follow-up of CSD-13 decisions.”
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THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL
PREPARATORY MEETING FOR THE 13TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION
ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMEN:
The Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (IPM) for the
thirteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD-13) took place from 28 February to 4 March
2005, at UN headquarters in New York. The IPM sought to
discuss policy options and possible actions to enable the
implementation of measures and policies concerning water,
sanitation and human settlements – the thematic cluster of
issues for the CSD-12/CSD-13 Implementation Cycle.
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TWELFTH SESSION OF THE
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:
The twelfth session of the United Nations Commission on
Sustainable Development (CSD-12) was held from 14-30 April
2004, at UN headquarters in New York. CSD-12 undertook
an evaluation of progress in implementation of Agenda 21,
the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21,
and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, focusing on
identifying constraints, obstacles, successes and lessons
learned with regard to water, sanitation and human
settlements, the thematic cluster of issues for the CSD-12
and CSD-13 Implementation Cycle. At the conclusion of
CSD-12, the Commission adopted the report of the session,
which included a non-negotiated Chair’s Summary.
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SECOND INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW
MEETING OF THE GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE PROTECTION
OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES:
The Second Intergovernmental Review (IGR-2) meeting of the
Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine
Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA) took place in
Beijing, China, from 16-20 October 2006. The meeting was
hosted by the State Environmental Protection Administration
of China and attended by over 400 participants, representing
governments, international and regional organizations,
international financial institutions, and non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). The goals of IGR-2 were to: strengthen
the implementation of the GPA at national, regional and
global levels; contribute to the achievement of specific
targets of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation as they
relate to the GPA, the ecosystem approach, and sanitation;
and provide guidance on the programme of work for the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) /GPA Coordination
Office for the period 2007-2011.
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CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP ON PARTNERSHIPS FOR IMPROVING THE
PERFORMANCE OF WATER UTILITIES IN THE AFRICA REGION:
The Capacity Building Workshop on Partnerships for Improving
the Performance of Water Utilities in the Africa Region
discussed the implementation of the global water and
sanitation agenda in the African context. Organized by the
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
(UN-DESA) and the United Nations Human Settlement Programme
(UN-HABITAT) the workshop focused on contributing towards
the implementation of the global water and sanitation agenda
by strengthening the capacities of water utilities in
meeting the dual challenge of service expansion and
efficient delivery of services. Participants developed a
Nairobi Statement, which states the need to, inter alia:
develop and implement programmes to overcome limited
technical, financial and institutional capacities; promote
commitment, support and participation of all stakeholders to
improve the performance of water utilities; increase finance
to improve and extend safe and adequate access to water and
sanitation for all; recommend separation of the dual
functions of regulatory and operational activities that will
improve the performance of public utilities in delivering
water and sanitation services; implement actions regarding
benchmarking of utilities, such as establishing criteria for
customer satisfaction, evaluating the performance of utility
managers, serving the poor and creating gender balance in
the utilities; and develop and institutionalize partnerships
to promote the exchange of experiences and facilitate
contact among utilities.
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THE INTER-MINISTERIAL DIALOGUE
ON BUILDING AN AFRICAN NETWORK OF CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN
WATER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY:
The Inter-Ministerial Dialogue on Building an African
Network of Centers of Excellence in Water Sciences and
Technology was held jointly by the Bureaus of African
Ministerial Council on Science and Technology (AMCOST) and
the African Ministerial Council on Water (AMCOW) on
Wednesday, 22 November 2006, in Cairo, Egypt. The dialogue
was attended by ministers from Lesotho, Senegal, South
Africa and Zimbabwe, senior representatives from Algeria,
Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Africa, and representatives from
the Office of Science and Technology of the New Partnership
for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Union (AU)
Commission. Throughout the day, delegates considered issues
related to criteria and guidelines, financial mechanisms and
governance for the network of centers of excellence in water
sciences and technology (the network), before agreeing to
its establishment.
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THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON
CLIMATE CHANGE (UNFCCC) AFRICAN REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON
ADAPTATION, ACCRA, GHANA:
The UNFCCC African Regional Workshop on Adaptation aimed at
highlighting African concerns related to climate change
adaptation and vulnerability reduction, with a view to
identifying specific adaptation needs to be considered under
the UNFCCC. The workshop was structured around four
sessions: impact and vulnerability assessments; adaptation
planning and implementation; regional collaboration; and
outcomes and ways forward. The first three sessions
consisted mainly of country presentations followed by a
question-and-answer period and open discussion. Session
three, on regional collaboration, took the form of two
roundtable discussions, while session four, on outcomes and
ways forward, consisted of discussions in three breakout
groups aimed at identifying key adaptation needs.
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ELEVENTH SESSION OF THE AFRICAN
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT (AMCEN),
BRAZZAVILLE, REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO:
AMCEN-11 opened with an expert group segment which was
followed by a high-level segment, whereby Ministers of the
environment from across Africa, in addition to delegates
from major inter-governmental and non-governmental
organizations, engaged in a policy dialogue to discuss
pressing issues affecting the continent. Based on input from
the expert group segment, the ministerial segment emerged
with the adoption of 11 decisions and the Brazzaville
Declaration, which seek to further AMCEN’s goal of halting
environmental degradation and promoting sustainable
development in Africa. Several major environmental
governance and finance issues were debated at length, most
notably the prospects for the establishment of an African
Environmental Facility for financing environmental
activities in Africa.
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4TH
WORLD WATER FORUM:
The 4th World Water Forum convened in Mexico City, Mexico
from Thursday, 16 March to Wednesday, 22 March 2006. The
Forum is the largest international event on freshwater, and
seeks to enable multi-stakeholder participation and dialogue
to influence water policy-making at a global level, in
pursuit of sustainable development. The 4th Forum’s main
theme, “Local actions for a global challenge,” was addressed
through five framework themes: water for growth and
development; implementing integrated water resources
management (IWRM); water supply and sanitation for all;
water management for food and the environment; and risk
management. A Ministerial Declaration was adopted, calling
for international action on water and sanitation issues.
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SUMMARY OF THE SECOND
INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT: The
Second International Forum on Partnerships for Sustainable
Development convened at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech,
Morocco, from 21-23 March. It was organized by the Ministry
of Territory Planning, Water and Environment in Morocco (MATEE)
under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in
cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic
and Social Affairs (UNDESA). The purpose of the Forum
was to advance sustainable development implementation
through strengthening and fostering water- and
energy-related partnerships and to build on the outcomes of
the First International Forum on Partnerships, which took
place in Rome, Italy, in March 2004.
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THE FAO/NETHERLANDS
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WATER FOR FOOD AND ECOSYSTEMS:
The FAO/Netherlands International Conference on Water for
Food and Ecosystems met from 31 January to 4 February 2005
at the Netherlands Congress Centre, in The Hague, The
Netherlands. The Conference, organized by the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the
Netherlands, was attended by over 400 participants
representing governments, inter-governmental organizations
and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as
academia and the private sector.
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CONFERENCE ON ASSURING FOOD AND
NUTRITION SECURITY IN AFRICA BY 2020:
The Conference on Assuring Food and Nutrition Security in
Africa by 2020 was held at the Speke Resort and Country
Lodge in Kampala, Uganda, from 1-3 April 2004. The
Conference was organized by the International Food Policy
Research Institute (IFPRI), hosted by the Government of
Uganda, and supported by a Conference Advisory Committee.
Approximately 550 participants attended, including three
heads of state, ministers and other senior officials, as
well as representatives of academic and research
institutions, UN bodies, intergovernmental,
non-governmental, business and industry organizations,
development agencies, and the media.
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THE PAN-AFRICAN IMPLEMENTATION
AND PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE ON WATER:
The Conference brought together approximately 1,000
delegates and 45 water and environment ministers
representing countries throughout the African continent,
intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) and other key stakeholders to address
the implication of the outcomes of the World Summit on
Sustainable Development (WSSD) on regional water initiatives
and the continent’s role in implementing the Summit’s
outcomes. The Conference also provided a platform for
African countries, the international community and UN
agencies to reaffirm their commitment to solving Africa’s
water crisis and to collectively implement the actions
envisaged in the African Water Vision, the Water Agenda of
the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the
WSSD’s targets and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
on water. The outcome of this meeting will be transmitted to
the UN Secretary-General to contribute to the preparations
for CSD-12.
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3RD WORLD WATER FORUM &
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE:
The 3rd World Water Forum met from 16-23 March 2003 in
Kyoto, Osaka and Shiga, Japan, and was organized jointly by
the World Water Council and the Government of Japan. The
Ministerial Conference on the occasion of the Forum,
organized by the Government of Japan, took place from 22-23
March in Kyoto. Representatives from over 170 countries as
well as participants from UN agencies, inter-governmental
organizations (IGOs) and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), academia, business and industry, youth organizations
and media outlets attended the eight-day meeting in Kyoto,
Osaka and Shiga, three cities located in the Lake Biwa and
Yodo River Basin Area.
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STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE ON
SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT:
The Stakeholder Dialogue on Sustainable Water Management –
Priorities for Policy Frameworks and Best Practices convened
from 25-26 April 2002 at the Swiss Re Centre for Global
Dialogue in Rüschlikon, Switzerland. Organized by the Swiss
Federal Government, which was represented by the
interdepartmental working group, IDARio, and Swiss Re, the
Dialogue brought together over 140 participants from
governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations, and the academic, investment and business
communities. The Dialogue’s deliberations will feed into a
thesis paper, which the Swiss Government plans to use when
developing its position for negotiations on freshwater
issues at the WSSD, and as a means of communicating its
intent to play an active role in the international debate on
water.
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