Vision: essence, types and development order

A vision is a statement that describes a future state. It addresses the future as something achievable and something worthy to be achieved. Like an idea, which gives the birth to action, a vision shapes our world.

A vision formulates working assumptions to be discussed and approbated. This process involves different stakeholders, with negotiations being an integral part of the process.

A vision is the result of strategic planning process, which determines goals and explains how, when and where the goals will be reached.

The vision-based planning requires an approach, which is different from traditional ways of planning “for today and tomorrow”. The starting point in a vision is “where we want to be”, rather than “where we are now”. Therefore, a vision helps to identify changes to be made to achieve the desirable future.

Consideration of a vision asк “where we want to be” gives rise to a question: what should be changed in our attitudes to problems and how should we modify our approaches to operations in order to achieve the developed vision? Such changes are possible through concretely specified tasks. This, in turn, creates the base for strategies underlying plans of “how to achieve goals”.

A vision gives a sense of purposefulness and provides a solid basis for the development of strategies and actions. This process is presented schematically below.

Vision > Strategy > Plan> Actions

Types of vision: regional and national.

Order of development:

1. National visions will be developed on the base of hydrographic studies carried out in the republics,
2. And, based on national visions, the regional vision is formulated.

What one needs to take into account in developing the vision

1. The vision should be well linked with water hierarchical levels.
2. The vision should not be limited to measures for simple re-distribution of functions and powers among water-management organizations.
3. Institutional reforms in the water sector of CAR should be oriented to a long period. Regional and national visions must show different scenarios and steps for both mid- (3-5 years) and long-term (10-15 years).

The vision should be based on

1. The balance of activities between public water agencies and community-based associations.
2. Partnerships of public, civil, private and community actors to improve participatory water governance at all levels of the water hierarchy.
3. Hydrographic boundary-based water operators.
4. Administrative-territorially based water users.
5. Decentralization of water governance and management.

Author: Mirzaev N.N., SIC ICWC