|
|
|
Daily Web Coverage
|
|
Pan-African Implementation and Partnership
Conference on Water
Regional Implementation Meeting in Preparation for CSD-12
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 8 - 12 December 2003
Highlights for
Monday, 8 December 2003
The
Pan-African Implementation and Partnership Conference on Water (PANAFCON)
opened at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Delegates met in a morning Plenary
session to hear opening statements. In the afternoon, delegates convened
in thematic sessions to discuss: water, sanitation and human settlements;
water for food security; protecting ecosystems and livelihoods; water and
climate; financing water infrastructure; integrated water resources
management; water allocation; water wisdom; and water governance.
 |
|
Delegates to the Pan-African Implementation and Partnership
Conference on Water meet in the opening Plenary session. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
Dawit Johannes, Speaker of the Ethiopian House of Parliament (left),
expressed the belief that reaching the Millennium Development Goals and
Millennium Development Goals on water will help eradicate poverty and
achieve sustainable development in Africa. He then declared the conference
officially open. Kewai Amoako, ECA Executive Secretary (second from left),
stressed the need to move from planning to implementing water-related goals
and called for new partnerships. Alhaji Muktari Shagari, Nigerian Water
Resources Minister and Chair of the African Ministers' Council on Water
(AMCOW) (center), stressed the need to review integrated water resource
management strategies addressing the continent's water and sanitation
problems, and to effectively implement the goals set by the New Partnership
for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Water Agenda, the Millennium Development
Goals and the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Shiferaw Jarso,
Ethiopian Water Resources Minister (second from right), noted that WSSD
goals can only be achieved with the support of multilateral, bilateral and
government agencies. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Michel Jarraud, World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) Secretary-General, noted the lack of
infrastructure and capacity to assess water needs and resources in
Africa, and WMO's efforts regarding surveillance and planning, and
encouraging regional cooperation. |
|
 |
|
Per Engebak,
UNICEF, called for renewed commitment to water resources and
sanitation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Halifa Omar Drammen, PANAFCON Steering Committee
Chair, welcomed delegates to the Conference and introduced the
speakers.
|
|
 |
|
Mahmoud Abu-Zeid, Egyptian Water Resources Minister, underlined
the low proportion of irrigated lands and the lack of joint river
management in Africa, and suggested that action should be taken in
a number of areas, including: experience exchange, financial and
technical support, joint river basin management and capacity
building. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Werner Burkhart, International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) Deputy Director- General (right), noted the
agency's contribution to water resouce management through technical
projects, and stressed the importance of institutional capacity and
local ownership of IAEA activities. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Wiseman Nkuhlu, New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
Steering Committee Chair, called for the creation of a common
African agenda and increased contributions to the African Water
Facility (AWF). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UN Division for Sustainable Development Regional Implementation
Meetings: