CA Water Info
Home Send e-mail Site's map Feedback Search
News Events Sites Database Knowledge Base Forum

←  Index

Ïî-ðóññêè

5. Benefits/Output

5.1 What are the practical results of the World Water Fora? What can the Forum accomplish in terms of concrete actions, rather than discussions?

The Forum hopes to raise the importance of water on the political agenda by bringing together elected representatives, government leaders and the civil society to identify an Action Agenda. It supports discussions for solving water issues at regional and international level with a view toward channelling the results of the dialog into formalized intergovernmental negotiations at a later stage through the United Nations. It will hopefully help formulate concrete proposals and bring their importance to the world's attention, again, with a view towards generating political, financial and other commitments.

The Fora held earlier have generated a large number of concrete actions:

  • As a result of the Gurria Task Force on Financing Water for All, the NWB Dutch bank created a 25Mˆ fund for water management projects in developing countries.
  • In 2005, the Dutch bank and insurance company SNS REAAL created a water fund, SNS REAAL Waterfonds, to invest in projects that focus on stimulating sustainable development, entrepreneurship and innovation in the area of water management.
  • Following work presented on the Right to Water at the 4th Forum, Ministers from 116 developing countries officially acknowledge the Right to Water for all in May of 2006. The Right to Water was also officially recognised in British and French legislation in 2006
  • In Mexico, UN-HABITAT announced a memorandum of understanding with the AfDB for low-scale urban water projects and subsidies in the amount of $579M ($217M in subsidies and $362M in credit for investments in water and sanitation projects).
  • Project Wet launched the initiative Action Education in celebration of the 4th Forum, which consists of both education and action projects to help solve local problems in developing countries.

This is a very small sample of the numerous actions that have come to fruition following the Fora. In concrete terms, drinking water coverage worldwide went from 78% in 1990 to 83% in 2004, whereas at the same time, global sanitation increased from 49% to 59%, perhaps in part as a result of awareness created for these issues.

5.2 What does a Forum bring to the water community? How will the Forum help the poor?

In keeping with the purposes of the WWC, the forum brings technical and political people together for dialog along wit other NGOs, stakeholders and impacted parties. It is the only such forum to provide such broad interactions.

The Forum is, first and foremost, a unique opportunity for networking. It provides a place where people can come together physically and exchange their experiences, points of views, ideas, solutions, knowledge and know-how.

The Forum not only brings concrete benefits to the water community, but also to populations in general and to the poorest in particular. The Forum aims to promote better legislation, governance and empowerment to enable access to water and sanitation, better management of water resources and better funding for investments in water infrastructures, all of which impact the livelihoods of the poorest populations in a concrete way. In addition, local actions presented at the Forum have been duplicated in many other parts of the world. The Forum has also generated the creation of several funds from banks or governments for water related projects or development (see above).

5.3 How will my country benefit from the Forum?

The experiences that are shared at the World Water Forum and the local actions that are presented can benefit all countries through their reproduction in other places and in other contexts.

One of the main goals of the Forum is also to create awareness and commitment from decision-makers on water issues. The impact it has on politicians, especially through the Ministerial conference, will hopefully benefit each country concretely since authorities will improve their legislation thereby enhancing sound management of water resources and infrastructures, resolution of water-related conflicts, pro-poor policies, etc. For example, following the 4th Forum in Mexico, the Right to water was officially recognized in numerous national legislations (UK, Morocco, France among others).

5.4 What kind of benefits will the Forum bring to the Millennium Development Goals?

At the mid-point between the launch of the MDGs and their defined deadline, the Forum in 2009 will work to quantify progress that has been made thus far, but also to provide solutions to strive towards their successful achievement. However, the Forum will also emphasise the fact that water is an issue that is crosscutting to all MDGs, not only to the water-related ones.

5.5 What are the benefits of the 5th Forum for Turkey? What will be the impact of the Forum on the Turkish population?

Through Turkey’s commitment to hosting the 5th Forum, they will receive a number of non-negligible benefits, such as economic growth, development of tourism, international recognition, impact on relationships with the European Union, etc. The Forum is thus an opportunity for Turkey as a nation to show its commitment to debate and cooperation across borders and regions for the common good of mankind.

The preparation and organization of the Forum will also enhance the capacity, awareness and knowledge of those that take part in these processes, ranging from the organizing committee, media, and ministers and officials from the Turkish Government.

For the Turkish population, this also represents an opportunity to learn about water issues at the local level, in addition to problems and solutions that exist elsewhere in the world. For example, it is hoped that the activities around Turkey planned to coincide with the Forum will help to share this experience with those who cannot physically take part in the event. Awareness being the basis for development, the impact on Turkey and its population is therefore of great value.

5.6 Will concrete solutions be provided for Turkey’s water-related problems? Will the Forum also support better use of Turkey’s rivers for energy production?

The Forum aims to provide solutions for critical water issues at every level, from the local to the international scale, throughout the world. Each basin has its own peculiarities. Turkey, like any other country involved in the Forum, will therefore benefit from the experience, know-how and actions presented during the Forum, which will help elaborate solutions for its own water issues and to manage its resources. It is also hoped that a number of partnerships and synergies will be created between Turkish organizations and networks from other countries which share the same objectives.